Eternal Changes
by nebula2
Summary: "Jealous, Hudson?" "Of a wet-behind the ears kid who isn't technically old enough to be an agent? Not hardly. I give him a week before he quits." Dr. Spencer Reid is about to join the BAU, but not everyone is ready to accept him with open arms.
1. Prologue

AN: Though the prologue and epilogue of this story will take place during the episode "Revelations" the bulk of this story takes place before the show starts. The prologue is on the short side but I hope it catches some reader's interest so they'll come back for more. The flashback scene in my one shot story "The Eternal Hope of Youth" inspired this story, but it does not need to be read to understand this story. Feel free to read it though!

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and the characters depicted in the show do no belong to me.

* * *

The "lead" had produced nothing but more frustration. No one fitting Hankle's description was at the motel or had been seen at the motel at all that night. Inquiries in the area around the motel had produced the same result. After an exhaustive canvass of the area, both the agents of the FBI and the Georgia State Police had to admit defeat. The local and state police in the surrounding areas were still on high alert but it seemed as though Hankle had already gotten out of the area.

Knowing where their best chances of figuring out where Hankle had taken Reid were, the members of the BAU had returned to Hankle's house. The team had brain stormed for a while, going over the few things that they did know and what steps they needed to take. Afterwards, a search of the house had started uncovering Hankle's journals. Journals that Reid would have gotten through quickly but would take the rest of them a while to get through. Unfortunately, it was time that Reid might not have.

While Prentiss had started on the journals, the rest of them had continued to search the house to see what other secrets they could make it reveal. Time had seemed to crawl by. Weariness began to set in and yet they all continued to press on until reluctantly Hotch called their activities to a halt. The BAU unit chief ordered everyone to find a place to get a few hours of rest before they would pick up their search. As reluctantly as the order had been given, the team moved to comply.

As the house had fallen silent, the thoughts in Morgan's head wouldn't let him rest. The fact that he was laying on the floor, using an old blanket as a pillow probably didn't help matters. As quietly as he could, Morgan got to his feet and made his way to the front door, trying not to wake anyone else up. Just because he couldn't sleep, didn't mean the others shouldn't get some much needed rest.

Slipping out the front door, Morgan stepped onto the porch and sat down on the steps, staring into the night. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, the shadows that made up the cornfield became visible to them. The slight breeze made the dead stalks sway slightly.

~_Why Reid? Why did you run into the cornfield without backup? _~ Morgan asked, cursing the kid for his foolishness. It was an unnecessary risk. Catching an UnSub wasn't worth risking his own life. They could have caught Hankle at another time. ~_You should have just let him go.~_

~_"You would have done it. You would have chased after Hankle no matter where he went without a second thought."~ _

Morgan heard Reid's voice echoing in his mind. It was eerie how he seemed to know exactly what the younger agent would have said if he were here with him right now.

~_You're not me, Kid_.~ Morgan countered in his mind, cursing himself for the example he had set for his younger colleague. How many times had he chased after a suspect without a second thought as to whether his partner was behind him or not? How many times had Gideon or Hotch chewed him out for being reckless? Yet, that was just who he was. He was a man of action. Morgan knew he could never just stand there and let someone get away. He hated being stuck on this farm now without anywhere to go. At least the last time an UnSub had captured Reid, he had been able to take action. The UnSub had left them a clue and they had an area to search. This time the drag marks out of the cornfield were the only sign of what had taken place, and they gave them no insight as to where to look.

~_And I swore the last time would be just that. That I'd keep an eye on him. Protect him. I failed him this time just like I did back then.~_

"I'm sorry, Kid," Morgan said, his voice no more than a whisper, as he remembered the first time he had used that nickname for Reid. The younger agent had looked so vulnerable then, as he had held him in his arms, trying to be a source of comfort for his injured teammate, that the nickname had come so easily.

"This isn't your fault, Morgan."

Hotch's voice startled Morgan out of his thoughts. The dark-skinned agent looked over and up at his supervisor now standing against the porch railing. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that Morgan hadn't heard Hotch come out of the house.

"Who says I'm blaming myself?" Morgan asked defensively.

"I've worked with you long enough to know but you can't blame yourself for this. You weren't with Reid this time."

"If I had been, maybe this wouldn't have happened? If I hadn't gone with Prentiss to pick up that dinner order, Reid might not have even been here with JJ."

"We can't dwell on what ifs. You'll just drive yourself crazy doing that. Believe me, I know," Hotch told him.

"The last time Reid was taken by an UnSub it happened because I made the choice to split up. The only difference is that this time Reid made that choice to split with his partner because of the example I've set for him."

"The example we've all set for him," Hotch told him. "Besides, I was his training officer back then. Ultimately, he was my responsibility then and as Unit Chief now, it's no different this time. I sent him and JJ here. It was my order that put him in the situation that lead to this outcome. Hell, I'm the one that pushed for him to be a member of this team."

Morgan held his supervisor's gaze. The light from the inside of the house that shone through the window illuminated Hotch's face in the rainy Georgia night. In the Unit Chief's eyes, Morgan saw the same guilt that he was feeling inside. The same inner demons that he himself was battling.

"You can't blame yourself for Reid being in the BAU. The Kid made the decision to join the FBI before he ever met you. If he hadn't joined the BAU, then he would have just gone to another department of the FBI."

Hotch broke eye contact with Morgan, his gaze looking out at the cornfield that one of his subordinates had been looking at only minutes before and from which another had been abducted from hours ago.

"The decision to join the FBI might have been Reid's but I was probably the reason he actually made it through the Academy," Hotch said, his gaze not wavering from the swaying stalks.

Morgan looked back at the cornfield. Both agents' minds were no longer on the present situation but on a time about five years ago, when Reid had first found his way onto the team and into their lives.


	2. Internal Changes

At the sound of a knock, SSA Jason Gideon, Unit Chief for the Quantico based BAU team, looked up. He was a little surprised to see Agent Aaron Hotchner standing there as he hadn't been expecting him. Still, he was glad to see his friend and fellow agent. He had missed him the last few months while Aaron had been on temporary reassignment. A reassignment that Gideon had arranged.

"Have a seat," Gideon said, indicating the chair across the desk from him. " I see you managed to get yourself away from the trainees for a while. I think you've been putting more time in while assigned to the Academy than you do when you're here."

"Haley would agree with you. I have my reasons though."

"That trainee you've been giving extra help to?" Gideon asked, receiving a nod from Hotch. "How's he doing anyway?"

"Not bad. The firearm scores are the question mark. He's got one more attempt on both the handgun and the shotgun to pass. He's going to have to score high enough on the last round with the handgun to bring the total for the three attempts above eighty. I'm going to actually work with him again tonight on that. I think he's going to make it though."

"Good. Wouldn't want all your extra time to be for nothing," Gideon said. "And I'll be glad when all of those trainees graduate and you're back here."

"You're the one who managed to get me assigned as a field counselor."

"What choice did I have? You threatened to resign on me, I figured you'd spend some time at the academy, take some time to reevaluate things, and then come back here ready to do your job again," Gideon said. He looked across the desk at his friend and fellow agent trying to read the expression there. As good of a profiler as he was, Gideon couldn't get a reading from his friend's face. "You are coming back right?"

"Yes, I plan on coming back," Hotch told him. The unit chief's plan had worked exactly as he had wanted to. What Gideon didn't know, was that the whole reason he was going back to the BAU was the trainee he had been working with. Going into the twenty-week training program for new agents, Hotch had every intention of resigning after the assignment. Meeting Trainee Spencer Reid had changed that. Had put him back in touch with why he had joined the FBI in the first place. "Heard there have been some changes here."

"Yeah, I had to let Robbins go for starters."

"Things with him and Morgan finally come to a head?"

"You could say that," Jason Gideon said. Morgan and Robbins had been at odds with one another since the latter had joined the BAU shortly after Morgan. Gideon had gotten approval for another team member and had brought Robbins on board from his current position in the Laboratory Division of the FBI. Before joining the FBI Robbins had been a New York City Police officer spending time in both ESU and on the Crime Scene Unit, two experiences which Gideon had thought would be beneficial to the team. What he had not anticipated were the two agents clashing. At first Gideon had just chalked it up to their competitive natures, and both of them trying to find their place within the group. He figured the two agents would work things out on their own. It hadn't happened that way. Morgan had joined the team in January and Robbins in February. Even after about five months of working together, there was still an underlying hostility between the two agents that had never gone away, though both agents conducted usually conducted themselves in a professional manner that allowed them to work together. Or at least Gideon had thought it did. "Robbins came to my office about two weeks after you started over at the Academy. Told me that he couldn't work with Morgan and that it was either him or Morgan. I don't like ultimatums. I told him he was free to explore other options."

"It was the right choice. Morgan's still a little rash at times but he's come a long way in a short time. Robbins, though a capable agent, still hadn't seemed to quite get the team concept dynamic of this group."

"Right, though I will admit I'm going to miss the expertise he brought to the table when it came to investigating a crime scene."

Hotch nodded. "But I think we've all learned a lot from him in the time he's been with us, despite his lack of teaching skills. We'll get by. This team can't operate if one of its members refuses to work with the others."

"You're right. I just recruited SSA Fred Hudson from the NY office a few weeks ago. He's applied several times for the BAU, and I thought I'd give him a chance. He's settling into the team fairly well. Then last week Collins decides to resign out of the blue."

SSA Beverly Collins had been with the BAU since before Hotch had joined the BAU from Seattle. She had worked Counterintelligence Division before coming to the BAU, recruited into what at that time had quite literally been a "boy's club," as Collins had been the first female member of the BAU. That was back before the "team concept" of profiling. The profilers worked mostly solo back then, some in pairs, talking to each other when need be. It had been Gideon and Collins who had pushed for the idea of a team of profilers. A concept that hadn't been well received at first. Before going into early retirement, Agent Rossi had informed Gideon that he thought he had gone off the deep end.

Off the deep end or not, Gideon had proceeded with the idea. Hotch had been a part of that trial team, having been asked to join by Gideon. Following Rossi's departure, the man who had been responsible for bringing him from Seattle to the BAU, Hotch had figured it wouldn't hurt to try something new. Unlike his mentor, he thought the concept had merit. That first team had been completed by Agent Harold Franklin, who had retired at the end of last year, and Agent Chad Nichols, who had been a member of the FBI's Cyber Division at the time of his recruitment by Gideon for his computer expertise. In recent years, the fourteen-year veteran of the bureau had been helping out with the Technology Services Unit which was also housed at Quantico.

"I heard. What happened?"

"She sailed away into the sunset," Gideon replied with a straight face. Seeing the confused expression on Hotch's face, he elaborated. "She met this guy. A millionaire. He got his money from inheriting Daddy's business from what I understand. He proposed and she accepted. They were married down on Virginia Beach and for a honeymoon they were taking a sailboat down to the Keys. Which reminds me, she sent you a postcard," Gideon said, opening the top drawer of his desk and taking out the aforementioned postcard. "She sent each member of the team one. I thought about leaving it in your office but I had a feeling I'd see you first."

Hotch took the postcard and read through the brief note. He smiled. Collins sounded happy and he hoped her marriage would be a good one.

"She sounds happy," Hotch said, placing the postcard picture side up on the desk in front of him. "You can't begrudge her that."

"And I don't, but that does mean I've got another vacancy in this team to fill. I was dreading having to fill your spot too."

"Well, stop dreading it. I'll be back in a week," Hotch told his boss and friend. "As for the vacancy, I've got a candidate for you to consider." He held the file he had brought with him out over the desk toward Gideon. The other agent took the file and without a word opened it.

It wasn't long before he spoke up, "you're kidding right?"

"No, I'm not."

"This is that trainee's file, right? The one you've been working with?" Gideon asked. Hotch nodded. "So you're suggesting we bring a brand-new agent into the team dynamic. Someone who has no field experience to draw on. And even if I was to consider it, what makes you think the higher ups would go for it. There are plenty of agents with experience that want into this unit. What can he bring to this team that they can't?"

"An IQ of 187, an eidetic memory, and the ability to read 20,000 words per minute, for starters. Not to mention he seems to have a natural affinity for profiling. Just ask Agent Jericho, who is currently teaching at the academy."

"Agents are supposed to have two years experience before they can be accepted into the BAU."

"The FBI has already waived the age requirement for this kid. I have a feeling we could find a way to get around that technicality."

"That sounds like the lawyer in you talking?"

"Perhaps it is."

Gideon looked back down at the file. The list of degrees the kid had was impressive."Definitely not much of a marksman."

"Profilers aren't required to carry a gun and like I said, I'm working with him tonight to get him through the academy," Hotch told him, making Gideon realize he had said that last thought out loud. "Besides, I remember someone telling me that I didn't need a gun in order to kill someone back when I first joined this team."

"Sure, just throw my own words back at me," Gideon muttered, the trace of humor softening the words. "I'll have to talk with him myself before I make any decision," Gideon finally said, looking up from the file.

Hotch nodded. "I'll tell him to call you tomorrow to set something up."

"You do realize if we bring him into the team, either you or me are going to be required to be this kid's probationary agent? I've got the team to worry about, I can't be giving special attention to a new agent and still effectively do that job."

"I realize that, yes," Aaron Hotchner replied. He had been a probationary agent for one other agent back when he was out in Seattle. He hadn't cared for it and had tried to avoid it since then. Still, with the potential this kid had, it wasn't going to be long before he made his mark in the bureau and once he did, all the units would be trying to get him into their division. "I'm willing to do it. I think he could be a productive member of this team."

Gideon nodded. He respected Agent Hotchner's opinion and had often consulted with him on personnel decisions in the past. "I'll consider it. Tell," he glanced down at the file, "Trainee Reid that I'll be expecting his phone call tomorrow morning."

"I will," Hotch said, as he got to his feet. He glanced at his watch. "Want to go grab something to eat. I've got an hour before I told Reid I'd meet him at the range."

Gideon tossed the file onto his desk with the others that were there. "Why not. I think its about time I call it a night anyway."

The two agents got to their feet and headed out of the office. Reaching the door, Gideon flipped the lights out and followed Hotch out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

"When you come back, think you can work on writing up a proposal for that idea of bringing a media liaison onto the team? With all the personnel issues I've been dealing with, I haven't gotten anywhere with it." Gideon said as the two headed for the elevator. The floor was empty, though a light in SSA Nichols office told them that the team's tech specialist was still at work.

It had been something the two of them and Collins had been discussing for the last couple of months following some tense moments with both local law officials and the media on several cases. Though all of them had experience playing diplomat with both types of people, no one on the team liked doing it nor was in any way particularly skilled at it. Not to mention, in the middle of a case, they were sometimes too wrapped up to think about other things. It had been Collins who had originally suggested bringing in another team member to specifically deal with that kind of stuff.

"Yeah, I'll handle it. You do realize though if we get it approved that's another position you're going to have to fill?"

"Don't rub it in," Gideon told him as the elevator doors opened. "Besides, maybe that's another responsibility that I'll just delegate to you."

"'Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out, '" Hotch said, quoting Ronald Reagan, as they stepped into the elevator.

"Words everybody in a leadership position should live by," Gideon commented, hitting the button for the ground floor, as the doors closed.

* * *

"It was good to meet you, Spencer," Gideon said, reaching across the desk to shake the young man's hand. He had asked for permission to call him by his first name at the beginning of the interview, hoping to put the young man more at ease. It had seemed to work a little, as the trainee's words had flowed more easily toward the end of the interview. "You'll of course find out our decision when you get your first assignment after graduation."

"Of course, sir," Reid said, shaking the BAU unit chief's hand.

"Good luck tomorrow," Gideon added. The trainees would be going to Hogan's Alley the following days to complete the final training exercises there.

Gideon had hoped to be able to be on hand to see how things went but it looked as if he would be headed for Mississippi for a case this afternoon. When the case had come in this morning, he had been glad Reid had a break in his morning class schedule and had been able to come in. The break had coincided with the team's normal briefing time, but that had been easy to push back.

"Thank-you, sir. It was a pleasure to meet you."

As Reid left the office, Gideon gathered the files for his team. He added the one he'd had Reid look at, having wanted to see what the trainee's thoughts on the case were, to the top of the pile. The agent then ripped the notes he had taken on what Reid had said, off the legal pad. Reid had some good insights on the situation, and the BAU unit chief planned on sharing them with the team.

~_Of course I don't think I'm going to tell them where it came from until later. Somehow, I don't think they'll take the ideas seriously if I tell them it came from a twenty-one-year-old trainee_, ~ Gideon thought, as he headed for the door.

"Morgan, Hudson," Gideon called out as he stepped into the main area of the unit. Off to the side the elevators were just closing on Spencer Reid. From their desks in the bullpen area, the two agents looked up at their boss. "Briefing room in ten minutes," he told them.

The two agents acknowledge their boss as Gideon walked toward the office of his last team member. SSA Chad Nichols was where he could normally found when not out in the field, in front of his computers. Gideon knocked on the open door, but didn't wait for an answer. Nichols had a way of tuning things out when he got into his work.

"Hey, Nichols," Gideon said as he walked into the room. The team's tech specialist didn't look away from his computer screen until Gideon placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, hey Boss," Nichols said, finally looking up at Gideon. "You need something."

"Briefing in ten minutes."

"Got it. I'll just save what I'm working on and I'll be there."

"What are you working on?"

"Logging data for VICAP," Nichols replied. "Not exactly the most fun-filled task, but I guess someone has to do it."

"Well, I think this case might take you away from it for awhile. If we take it, with us being two agents down I am definitely going to need you in the field."

"Then my vote is for us to take the case," Nichols replied. As much as he enjoyed his computers, he still enjoyed getting away from Quantico for time to time. He hadn't joined the FBI to sit holed up in an office all of the time, and while he didn't mind putting his computer knowledge to good use, there were times when he wished he had never major in computer science. Times when he would rather be out chasing the bad guy then the one searching for information that may or may not be useful.

~_Though if it wasn't for my computer skills I never would have gotten involved with the FBI, ~ _Nichols silently reminded himself.

"I thought you might say that," Gideon told him. "I'll see you shortly," he added as he turned and left Nichols' office.

Having informed the three members of his team, whom were currently active with the BAU, Gideon headed for the conference room himself. He wanted to get things set up and be ready to start as soon as everyone had gathered.

~_Perhaps something else we could have the liaison do. Lord knows the more functions the new position is able to provide, the more likely we are to get it approved_, ~ Gideon thought as he stepped into the conference room. It was something he would need to discuss with Hotch as soon as he was back with the BAU.

* * *

Dr. Spencer Reid walked back to the dormitory he was staying at while at the Academy following his meeting with SSA Jason Gideon. He wasn't at all sure how the meeting had gone. The young trainee did know he hadn't given the best showing of himself. He had been nervous about the meeting and he knew the BAU Unit Chief had been able to tell that. The BAU was not a typical assignment for a new graduate of the academy and if Agent Gideon didn't put in a request for his posting there, Reid knew he would be given an assignment elsewhere.

Unfortunately for him, the day didn't show any signs of getting better anytime soon. His last handgun qualification started in twenty minutes. Reid knew he had to pass it and not by just the required eighty percent either. Though he had passed the last two, he had only scored a seventy-five on the first attempt at qualification. In order to graduate, this meant he had to score high enough to bring the average of the four attempts to at least an 80 percent.

It was a simple enough calculation for the young doctor to make. _~I need to score eighty-four percent on this qualification attempt in order to graduate on Saturday. Which means, this has to be the best session I've ever done. No pressure, at all. Not to mention, if I fail this, it's not just about making it through the academy anymore. If I don't graduate, I'm letting down Agent Hotchner_.~

The veteran agent had put a lot of extra time into helping Reid with not only the shooting part, but with the self-defense and raising the physical fitness scores too. It was also because of Agent Hotchner that he was getting a shot at being a part of the BAU right out of the academy. Most agents had to wait two years in order to even be considered for the unit.

~_Absolutely no pressure at all, _~ Reid thought as he unlocked the door to his dormitory and walked inside the room.

Dropping off his bag, and making sure he had what he needed, he quickly left the room again and headed for the Academy's indoor range.

If by some miracle he made it through the handgun qualification, the final qualification for the rifle was this afternoon. No, the day wasn't going to get any better any time soon, though Reid was already wishing it was over.


	3. Graduation

SSA Jason Gideon put aside the finished report and glanced up at the clock. Almost five o'clock on Friday afternoon. He glanced at the stack of possible cases for his team. No matter how many they completed the stack never seemed to get any smaller.

~_Well, they're just going to have to wait until Monday_, ~ Gideon told himself. The team had just gotten back from their most recent case in Mississippi right after lunch time that day. Reid's comments on the case before their briefing had ended up playing a significant part in the team solving the case, which was why he had spent the flight home and an hour more once landing on the phone to a number of FBI brass about getting the soon to be agent assigned to the BAU. He had just gotten the call from Section Chief Erin Strauss a half hour ago that his request was being honored. Come next Tuesday, Agent Dr. Spencer Reid would be a member of the BAU.

With Hotch coming back and Reid starting, that would put the team back up to full strength again. After the last few months of working short and the personnel changes, Gideon was looking forward to the weekend off. He knew his team probably was too.

~_They deserve the break_, ~ Gideon thought, as he got to his feet. He spent a few minutes organizing things before grabbing his keys off the corner of his desk and heading for the door. For once, he was going to leave the office on time.

"Uh-oh, Morgan. It looks like we might be rethinking those plans for tomorrow night," SA Frank Hudson said as he spotted Gideon coming out of his office. Both he and Morgan had been getting ready to leave.

At his desk, Morgan followed Hudson's gaze and held his breath upon seeing the BAU unit chief walk over to the railing surrounding the bull pen area. Gideon never left the office on time and when he came out of his office around five o'clock it usually meant he needed them to put in extra time - staying either late or coming in the next day.

"Just wanted to wish the two of you a good weekend and I'll see you on Monday," Gideon said, having heard Hudson's remark. He might not have been with the team long, but he had picked up on his new boss' routines quickly. ~_And he and Morgan have been working well together which is a nice change from having to play referee between two agents all the time, _~ Gideon thought.

Morgan let out the breath he had been holding. He had so been looking forward to a weekend away from work. "You too, sir. Any plans?"

"Thought I might go to the graduation ceremony for the new agents tomorrow, but other than that we'll just see what happens," Gideon replied.

"Rumor has it one of those agents will be joining us," Hudson commented.

Gideon caught the slight sound of contempt in the agent's voice. In a way it didn't surprise him. Hudson had tried for a long time to get in the BAU and had been passed over several times. The thought of a new agent coming out of the academy and getting assigned immediately to the team would be a source of some hard feelings for the agent. Gideon just hoped those feelings wouldn't last long or cause too many problems.

What did surprise him was how quickly the rumor had gotten started and that it had reached his team's ears already. The new agents would get their assignments tomorrow after the graduation ceremony. Though he knew Reid would be joining the BAU he officially couldn't inform the team of that yet. He was planning on addressing the issue of their new addition on Monday, though he had a feeling they would have already heard by the time they arrived at the office. For a moment, Gideon contemplated telling them beforehand but quickly decided against it.

"I try not to pay attention to rumors. They cause too much trouble," Gideon said, not confirming or denying what Hudson had said. "Have a good weekend," he told them again. With a wave of his hand he headed for the elevators.

"Was that a yes or a no?" Hudson said, looking over at Morgan after the elevator doors had closed behind their boss.

"That was Gideon's way of saying no comment," Morgan replied.

"What about you? Think the rumor is true?"

Morgan shrugged. "I'd say no but then if you had asked me six months ago if I believed the FBI would ever allow a twenty-one-year-old to be an agent, I would have told you that you were crazy," Morgan told him.

The news of the FBI waiving the age requirement for one of the current agents in training, had gotten around to most of the organization and the public by this time.

"Wonder if that guy is going to graduate. If he does, at twenty-one he's going to be the youngest agent in the FBI ever."

"Twenty-two," a voice said. Morgan and Hudson looked in that direction to see Agent Chad Nichols coming down the steps to join them.

"What?" Hudson asked.

"That trainee. I remember the article I read said he would be twenty-two at the time of graduation."

"Does it really matter?" Morgan commented.

"Probably not," Nichols replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Hear the latest rumor going around, Nichols?" Hudson asked, as Nichols perched on the corner of the former agent's desk.

"As I've been holed up in my office logging a record of our latest exploits, no I probably haven't," the team's tech specialist replied.

"Well, rumor has it one of the graduates from tomorrow's class will be joining us."

"Are you serious?" Nichols said with a grin. "What's Gideon say?"

"He didn't comment on it," Morgan replied, finishing the report he had been working on and closing the file. "Which actually makes me think there might be some merit in the rumor."

"We could probably find out," Nichols said, dropping his voice a few levels so only his two teammates could hear him. "The graduates' assignments should be in the system by now."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, and call it a night," Morgan replied, getting to his feet. He was curious but not curious enough to risk getting in trouble by looking at classified information. "Catch ya tomorrow night, man," he said to Hudson.

"You got it," Hudson replied as Morgan headed for the elevators like Gideon had shortly before.

As the elevator headed to the ground floor, Morgan found himself wondering if the two would actually go snooping at the assignments for the new agents. If they did, he had a feeling Hudson would tell him tomorrow evening.

* * *

It was quarter to one in the afternoon when Jason Gideon arrived at Quantico on Saturday afternoon. For a Saturday, the place was crowded though he still easily found a parking space. Getting out of his car, Gideon headed for the spot where he had agreed to meet Hotch the evening before.

As he approached the spot, he found the other man already waiting. Beside Hotch, was his wife Haley. The three exchanged greetings and then headed for the auditorium where the graduation was to take place.

Gideon hadn't been to a graduation ceremony since he had graduated from the academy himself. Things hadn't changed at all. Except for the speeches that were given and the new faces of the graduates, things were exactly the same. It wasn't hard for Gideon to spot Spencer Reid in the group of thirty-nine soon to be agents.

~_The kid looks like he's graduating from high school, not the FBI academy_, ~ Gideon thought to himself as the names of the graduates were being read. ~_The biggest challenge he's going to face is getting people, especially his fellow agents, to take him seriously_, ~ the unit chief thought. Not for the first time he wondered how Reid's addition to the team was going to affect the dynamics. How receptive of him were Morgan, Hudson and Nichols going to be?

Gideon remembered Hudson's comments from the day before. It hadn't been so much the words as the tone with which they had been said that had stuck with him. Gideon knew he was going to have to keep a close eye on things, and he planned on giving Hotch a heads up so he could be on the lookout too.

One by one, the recruits were sworn in by the FBI director. The newly sworn in Agent Todd Resendes, picked by his fellow recruits as the class spokesman, then addressed the group. To Gideon, it seemed a long time since he had stood where Resendes did now and gave his own speech. Following Resendes speech, the awards for the graduating class were presented. The fact that Reid took the top honor for academics didn't surprise Gideon at all, nor did it seem to surprise any of the gathered graduates, including the young man himself.

Following the ceremony, The Hotchners and Gideon searched out Reid. It wasn't hard, given that while all the other graduates were congratulating each other or finding family and friends, Spence Reid was more or less alone. As he made his way through the crowd of graduates, a few of his fellow trainees offered their congratulations. He returned the gesture, never stopping more than a minute. With the ceremony over with, Reid just wanted to get out of the room.

"Congratulations, Agent Reid," Hotch told the young man when he was standing in front of the young man.

"Thank-you, sir," Reid said, shaking the older man's outstretched hand. "I couldn't have made it through without you."

"You're the one who passed all the tests. I just gave you some guidance just like all the other instructors at the Academy did," Hotch told him. He then turned to his wife who was standing beside him. "Agent Reid, I'd like to meet my wife Haley."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hotchner," Reid said pleasantly, with a smile and nod.

"Call me Haley, please. Your mother must be very proud. Is she here?"

"Ah, no. She couldn't make it," Reid said, thinking of his mother back in Las Vegas. He had considered trying to arrange for her to come out for this, but had decided against it. Diana Reid hated to fly, not to mention the trip would be a disruption to her routine. A disruption that she didn't need right now.

~_She would have enjoyed seeing me get sworn in though, _~ Reid thought to himself. He remembered her words to him when he had told her about being accepted to the Academy. She had told him that she knew he was always meant to do things that no one else had done before. He knew she would be happy when he called and told her the news.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did any other members of your family make it?"

"It's just my Mom and me," Reid told her, seeing the sympathy that crossed Haley Hotchner's face.

Haley glanced at her husband, silently asking approval. Hotch knew what his wife was thinking, and with a small smile, gave her a small nod.

"Why don't you join my husband and me for dinner tonight then? It won't be anything too fancy, but I'm a pretty good cook."

"She's the best cook," Gideon said, from his spot behind her.

The thought of having dinner with Agent Hotchner terrified him. At the same time, he couldn't think of a way to graciously decline the offer.

"I'd like that, ma'am. Thank-you."

"You'll come too, won't you Jason?" Haley said, looking back at the other agent.

"You know I don't ever pass up the chance to eat your home cooking," Jason told her. He turned his attention to Reid. "Congratulations. Have you checked where your first assignment is?" he asked, already knowing the answer. Whereas most of the graduates had opened the envelope containing their first posting at their first opportunity, Gideon had noticed that Reid's envelope remained sealed.

"Ah, not yet, sir," Reid admitted, glancing down at the envelope he held.

"Why don't you check it now?" Hotch suggested, though like Gideon he already knew the information the envelope contained.

Flushing a slight shade of pink, Reid did as the older agent suggested. He knew what he wanted his first posting to be, but he didn't think he would get it. He ripped open the envelope and with shaky hands took out the single sheet of paper it contained.

**Posting: Behavioral Analysis Unit, Team 1, Quantico, VA**

**Probationary Agent: SSA Aaron Hotchner**

Reid looked up in surprised. By the looks on the other two agents' faces, he could tell they had already known what had been on the piece of paper.

"Looks, like you're not getting rid of me quite yet," Hotch told the new agent.

Before Reid had a chance to respond the group heard a shout of "there he is" and soon found themselves surrounded by reporters. Immediately reporters asked for verification from Reid that he had indeed been accepted to the BAU. Reid stammered a response, surprised by how fast the reporters had gotten a hold of the information. He answered the other questions that were directed to him, wishing he was anywhere else other than in the middle of this media circus.

Reid was relieved when a reporter turned his attention to Gideon, who was still standing beside him. Hotch had managed to slip out of the crowd wanting to get Haley away from the media frenzy.

"Agent Gideon, you're the unit chief for the BAU. It's not often that there are personnel changes within your team but word has it there are numerous agents who have been with the bureau for years that have applied to the BAU. Why bring in a new agent, without any previous law enforcement experience, to fill a vacancy over any of them?"

"'Agent Spencer Reid has a gifted mind, '" Gideon replied. "I feel that he can bring something to the team that the others can't. 'He is young, and while he has never served in law enforcement, I see him as an integral part of the future of the BAU.'*"

"Then this appointment was approved by you?"

"Yes, I was part of the decision making process in this situation, just as I am with all agents who are brought onto this team."

"Any law enforcement type will admit that there are things about the job that can't be learned from a book, such as talking with the victims families and dealing with local police. Your team deals with those situations quite often. Wouldn't it be better to bring in someone with experience in those situations?"

"Everyone in law enforcement has to start learning those skills somewhere. We have five other agents on the team, all of whom are more than capable of dealing with those situations. 'It's one of the reasons I have brought him aboard. 'With a little tutelage and some field experience there will be nothing Agent Reid will not be able to accomplish with this team.'*"

Gideon fielded a few more questions from the reporters and then with the practiced skilled of a veteran agent excused both himself and Reid from the gathered media. Taking a hold of Reid's arm, he escorted the young man from the crowd.

"Thanks," Reid said, gratefully when they were out of earshot of the reporters.

"No problem. Dealing with the media is something else you'll learn on the job," Gideon told him.

The two agents walked toward the main entrance of the building. Outside they found the Hotchner's waiting for them. After a brief discussion on what time to meet for dinner, and giving Reid directions to the Hotchner's home, the group headed in their own directions.

* * *

*Quoted from the article "BAU's Newest Member" By Paul Milworth shown on Garcia's computer screen in the episode "Memoriam."


	4. Team Reaction

AN: Well, I had planned on updating yesterday but just wasn't in the mood to do much of anything at all. Finally got through editing the chapter so I hope you all enjoy it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, any words of encouragement or constructive criticism are much appreciated.

* * *

The sound of his alarm going off woke Spencer Reid up at eight o'clock on Monday morning. Slowly, he stretched and sat up on the futon that he had ended up sleeping on last night. He reached over and turned off the alarm clock, which was currently sitting on top of a stack of boxes. The boxes contained the things which had been in his dormitory at the Academy. The rest of his belongings still needed to be shipped out to him from Las Vegas, where he had put them in storage.

Reid had been able to find an apartment on Sunday, with the help of Agent Gideon, who had spent the morning helping him with the search. Reid had then spent the afternoon packing his things up in his dormitory room and then his new boss had come over and helped him move everything from the dorm to the new apartment. Agent Hotchner had even brought over some old furniture that he had stored out in their garage for him to use to start off with. He still had a few things to buy, but he was grateful for the help his two new co-workers had provided.

As he headed for the kitchen to make some coffee, Reid went through his mental list of things he had to do today. He knew he was going to be busy all day, and probably nowhere near being settled by the end of it, but at least the activity would keep him from worrying too much about starting his new job tomorrow.

The fact that he had already met two of his new co-workers helped to ease his nervousness a little. There were still three other agents on the team he had yet to meet. He was worried about how they were going to accept him. Would they be as nice as Gideon and Hotchner had been so far? Were they going to take him seriously? Were they going to accept him?

~_There is no use worrying about those things_, ~ Spencer told himself as he put the coffee on to brew. ~_There is nothing you can do right now about those things._~

Still, he knew he wanted to make a good first impression on his new co-workers the following day. Fitting in had always been a problem for him. He was hoping that this time things would be different. That this time, being the youngest wouldn't matter quite so much. That being smart would be a benefit and not a reason for people to ridicule him.

His classmates at the Academy hadn't been quite as bad as the kids he had gone to high school or college with had been. Sure there had been a few who had taken pleasure in giving him a hard time but for the most part, it hadn't been too bad. Most of his fellow trainees had been accepting, though he hadn't gotten close to any of them. He could only hope that the trend would continue.

It wasn't long before he was standing at the counter, a pad of paper in front of him, and a cup of coffee nearby. Picking up a pen, he began to write.

_Dear Mom,_

_With the help of my new boss, Agent Gideon whom I told you about when I called you on Saturday, I've managed to find a place to live. This apartment is nothing fancy, statistically speaking on the small side for an apartment actually, but it'll do. It's in a nice neighborhood and the building is well maintained. It's also close to a bus stop, and as I'll be relying on public transportation for a while, that's a good thing. _

_It's a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. It has a nice living area which is separated from the kitchen area by a counter. There would be room in the kitchen area for a small table. I was thinking about buying one but then again I may just settle for buying some stools to put around the counter for now. Sitting at the counter would remind me of you, and the times growing up, that I spent at the counter watching you cook and bake while doing my homework or reading whatever book I had currently been interested in. Memories like that make me feel closer to you . . .

* * *

_

As Agent Derek Morgan walked off the elevator later that morning, his gaze went automatically to Agent Hotchner's office. The office had stood empty for the last five months, except for the janitor's entering to clean it, and the other agent stopping by in the evenings for short periods of time here and there. That was supposed to be changing today, as Agent Hotchner was done with his temporary assignment at the Academy.

Five months ago, Agent Morgan would not have admitted to looking forward to Hotchner's return. The older agent reminded him of a drill sergeant at times. Always serious, Morgan didn't think he could remember a time in which Hotch had ever smiled, though Nichols had assured him and Robbins that he did on occasion. Nichols even swore that Hotch did have a sense of humor, though Morgan had yet to see it since joining the BAU. All Morgan had seen was a tough as nails, critical, veteran agent, who somehow seemed to find every mistake he made but seemed to miss most of what he had done right. The only piece of mind Morgan had gotten was the fact that Hotch had been just as critical, if not more so, of Robbins.

Now Robbins wasn't here and neither was Collins. Morgan had a feeling with Collins gone, Agent Hotchner was going to be stepping into the unofficial role of Unit Chief Gideon's second in command. That prospect made Morgan nervous, though he had to admit that there had been a hole in the team with Hotch gone. He had thought that feeling would be repeated when Collins had left but it hadn't. The difference between how he had felt about the two senior agents' absence from the team had told him something. Somewhere during the short time he had been with this team, he had developed a respect for Agent Hotchner much like he had quickly formed for his unit chief.

As he looked toward the office, Morgan saw that the light was on. Agent Hotchner was already at his desk, his gaze on the desk in front of him. It was a familiar scene and one that gave Morgan hope that things were going to start getting back to normal around the place.

~_No, not normal. At least not yet, _~ Morgan told himself remembering the news broadcast he had seen Saturday night and then the article in the paper Sunday morning.

Neither had come as a surprise to him following Hudson's announcement when they had met Saturday evening at a bar in the city to hang out. Nichols had done a little "investigating" as the veteran agent like to put it whenever he went looking into computer files he shouldn't have had access to. Hudson had informed Morgan that they had indeed assigned one of the new agents to not only the BAU but to their team specifically. Apparently the new agent, Spencer Reid, was going to be their replacement for Collins. Morgan wasn't sure how that sat with him. Replacing a well-respected veteran, with a wet behind the ears new agent, that technically wasn't even old enough to be an FBI agent anyway, was not a wise move in his opinion.

While Morgan might not have been sure how he felt about it, Hudson had left him with no doubts about how he felt. Morgan could tell his co-worker was not happy about it, when he told him what he and Nichols had found out the day before, just by the tone of his voice. Twenty minutes later, when they saw the news broadcast on the tv at the bar, he had further enforced his opinion. Hudson had gone off on how it wasn't right for someone to be handed things just because they had done something no one else had done. Everyone should have to work for what they got and being assigned to the BAU's elite team right out of the academy was a gift not something that was earned. The tirade had gone on for twenty minutes, and had included some choice words about Gideon, who had been mentioned as supporting the decision, which Morgan knew he would never repeat. Nor did he think that Hudson would ever repeat those things to their boss' face.

"Morning, Morgan," Hudson said as we walked down the steps into the bullpen.

"Morning," Morgan replied, taking off his suit jacket and hanging it over the back of his chair. "How was the rest of your weekend?" he asked, sitting down.

"Fine. I slept in Sunday and avoided any news outlets. I enjoyed a nice lazy day on the couch watching old movies."

"What happened to the blonde you left with?"

"I dropped her off at home around midnight. Why?"

"Oh, just figured the way she was hanging all over you at the bar that she would have spent the night with you."

"Yeah, well it may have happened if she hadn't gotten sick from drinking too much tequila," Hudson replied, a trace of disappointment in his voice as he sat down at his own desk across the aisle from Morgan.

"Did you guys see the article about this new kid who is joining us?" Nichols asked, strolling into the bullpen. Morgan looked in his direction to see the other agent holding up the Sunday newspaper.

"No, and I don't want to," came Hudson's reply, as he turned on the computer at his desk.

"Jealous, Hudson?"

"Of a wet-behind the ears kid who isn't technically old enough to be an agent. Not hardly. I give him a week before he quits."

"I don't know about that," Nichols said. "I'd say the guy doesn't give up on things too easily."

"Why's that?" Hudson asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"After finding out he was going to be on this team, I got curious and did some research. He graduated highschool at the age of 12. Then he graduated from Cal Tech at the age of 16 with not a double major but three majors. He had his first doctorate the following year."

"First doctorate?" Morgan asked.

"If your talking about our newest team member he has three doctorates in Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering as well as BA's in Sociology and Psychology," Agent Gideon said as he inserted himself into his subordinate's conversation. The other three agents looked to find him on the upper level, hands resting on the railing.

"Great, I'm going to be working with Encyclopedia Brown," Morgan said softly, getting a smile out of Nichols who was now leaning against the side of the former agent's desk.

The comment earned Morgan a look from his supervisor even as Hudson added his own commentary.

"Probably some stuck-up, spoiled rich kid who thinks he knows everything."

Gideon's gaze moved from Morgan to Hudson. He fixed the latter with a pointed look. "Dr. Reid is a gifted individual whose talents will add something to the dynamics of this team, just as every agent I bring in does. He still has a lot to learn, just as every agent coming out of the Academy does, and I feel confident that he will learn quickly given the caliber of agents that are on this team." Gideon let his gaze move from Hudson, then Nichols and finally Morgan as he continued speaking. "Every agent in this bureau is continually learning new things. It's what allows us to grow and get better at our jobs. The day you think that you have nothing to learn is the day you are no longer an asset to this team or the bureau. Do I make myself clear?"

There were three variations an affirmative reply to the Unit Chief's question.

"Our newest team member is scheduled to join us tomorrow but I think introductions are going to have to wait until later in the week. I've got a new case I want to run past everyone. We meet in the conference room at ten," Gideon told his team.

Gideon heard a chorus of yes sirs, as he pushed away from the railing and headed for Agent Hotchner's office.

"Real, smooth there, Hudson," Morgan told the other agent when Gideon had entered Hotch's office.

"Doesn't mean I'm not right," was Hudson's reply.

"You're determined not to like this new guy, aren't you?" Nichols asked. Hudson didn't bother replying as he pretended to be engrossed in whatever was currently on his computer screen. Nichols looked to Morgan. "What about you?"

Morgan shrugged. "He's going to have to prove he belongs here. I don't trust anyone blindly, especially not some rookie agent just out of the academy. I saw quite a few rookies during my time on the force get themselves and their training officers seriously hurt because of stupid mistakes. I don't plan on being a victim of that," Morgan replied, realizing the words sounded more hostile than he had intended them to be. However, he couldn't take them back nor did he really want to.

"You were a rookie once too," Nichols pointed out logically.

"And I was smart. I listened to those with more experience and did what I was told."

"Well, that sure wore off somewhere along the way," Hudson quipped, revealing that he had been listening to the conversation despite his attempts to appear non-interested.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked.

The question was answered by both of his co-workers who managed to spout off a couple of instances each of times when Morgan had either disregarded what Gideon or Collins had told him to do and went off on his own. After Hudson named a second instance, Morgan held his hands up.

"Okay. Point taken but I'm not some rookie any more."

"No, but things like that is almost what got your application to the team overlooked," Nichols informed him. "The phrases loose cannon and not a team player were part of the reputation that preceded you here."

"If that's true, then why am I here?" Morgan asked, not that he thought the other agent was lying. Nichols had been with the team from the beginning. Morgan knew there was no reason for him to lie.

"Gideon saw potential in you, just like he has every agent that has been a part of this team. So far the only one who hasn't worked out was Robbins."

Deciding the conversation was getting too personal for his liking, Morgan decided to move it in another direction.

"So what's your thought on our newest member?"

"I trust Gideon. He's got to see something in this guy if he's bringing him onto this team. That's enough for me until this Reid does something to prove to me otherwise," Nichols replied.

The three co-workers got quiet after that statement. Hudson really did start working on something work related on his computer and Morgan was thinking about everything Nichols had said. Having things he wanted to do before the team meet for the case, Nichols pushed away from Morgan's desk to head to his own office. He had only taken a couple of steps when he turned back to Morgan.

"Care to explain the Encyclopedia Brown reference?" Nichols asked.

"You've never heard of Encyclopedia Brown?" Morgan countered. Nichols shook his head. Morgan smiled, amused to have brought something up that the team's research geek didn't know about. The computer specialist was forever brining up some kind of obscure piece of trivia up during conversations. "Look it up," the younger agent told him.

"I will," Nichols responded. "While I'm at it, maybe I'll see what I can find out about Derek Morgan too."

"The articles covering my time as a quarterback for Northwestern would be an interesting read," Morgan told him.

"I'm not much of a football fan," Nichols told him as he started back toward his office again.

Morgan laughed and sitting a little straighter in his chair pulled the top file off the stack on his desk. He had some paperwork to get done before the team met.

* * *

"Everything okay out there?" Hotch asked as Gideon sat down in the chair across from the other agent. He nodded his head toward the bullpen.

"I don't know," Gideon admitted. "I expected a little resistance to brining Reid in but I'm sensing some hostility from Morgan and there is open hostility from Hudson. Truth is, I don't know much about Hudson. I can't predict how he's going to react but all the elements are there for him to not be accepting of Reid. Hudson's competitive. He's been passed over for a position on this team twice before and twice for other teams. Now here comes a 22 year old who gets a position in the BAU right out of the academy and is getting all kind of media attention."

"Yeah, you put it that way, I might be a little miffed to," Hotch agreed. "Not to mention, being a new guy on the team, he could very well feel threatened."

"Then I guess my job is to make sure he knows his job isn't threatened by Reid joining us," Gideon replied. "We're headed for a rough patch. With Robins and Collins departure followed by bringing in Hudson and now Reid, the team dynamics are in uncharted waters. I've got to make sure I can keep things together while we all figure one another out."

"You did it before," Hotch told him. "You formed the first team in the BAU with everyone saying you were crazy for even trying it. It worked then, we can make it work now."

"I just hope this wasn't a bad idea," Gideon said.

"Bringing Reid in?" Hotch asked. Gideon nodded slightly. "You're having doubts about his ability to do the job?"

"No, it's not that. He is going to prove himself to be a valuable asset to this team. He's actually already helped us solve one case, as I told you on our way back from the last case," Gideon said. "However, fitting into a team environment while you're still figuring out how to put everything they threw at you in the academy to practical use in the real world, is going to just complicate the adjustment period. You do remember what your probationary period felt like?"

"It seems like a long time ago, but yeah I remember," Hotch said.

"Reid isn't good with groups, I got that much from talking to his instructors and my interview with him showed that he's very self-conscious. Guess it's to be expected as I'm sure his school years were hard. You know how kids can be, singling out anyone who isn't like them, and there's no doubt that Reid stuck out. Hudson and Morgan giving him a hard time could very well push him to want to quit."

"With all due respect, it's not your responsibility to worry about that. I'm his assigned Probationary Agent. Getting him through his first two years is my responsibility. Let me worry about Reid and I'll help where I can with the other two too."

"Team effort, right," Gideon remarked. He sighed before continuing. "Well at least he'll get at least one day to settle in without the others watching his every move."

"Another case?"

"Yeah. Charleston, South Carolina. Briefing starts in," Gideon glanced to the clock on the office wall, "forty-five minutes. I want you there of course but with Reid starting tomorrow you need to be here. It'll give you time to catch up on things and work on that proposal for us. Also, I was supposed to do that interview at Lee on Wednesday morning. Why don't you and Reid cover that? Should be something uneventful for the kid to get his feet wet on."

"No problem," Hotch replied.

"I should go get ready for the briefing," Gideon said, getting to his feet. He started for the door. Halfway there, he stopped and turned back to Hotch. "That reminds me, I was thinking that the briefing and reviewing the potential cases is something that we could shift to this new position. Give the brass another reason to justify it."

"Consider it done," Hotch told his boss with a nod.

Gideon nodded and then finally left Hotch's office. Hotch turned his attention back to what he had been working on before his boss had paid him a visit.


	5. First Day

It was almost ten o'clock that night when Reid walked into the bedroom of his new apartment. He had gotten a lot accomplished today, and the apartment was neat and organized even if sparsely furnished. He'd have more work to do when his things finally arrived from Vegas, his bed among them, but he had managed to get the things he would immediately need.

As tired as he was, the futon looked inviting even if the mattress on it was kind of worn. The futon was one of the pieces of furniture that had been provided by the Hotchners, and even Reid had to admit that it was better than sleeping on the floor until the bed arrived and he was able to put it together. The futon also meant that he could put off buying a couch for now, as it and the easy chair provided more than adequate seating for the living room. It wasn't like he had a whole bunch of friends that he could invite over.

He had bought some new sheets, curtains and blinds for the apartment's two windows, a new shower curtain as he didn't care to attempt to clean off the mold on the one that was there, along with kitchen utensils, appliances and dish towels and a few dishes that he would need to get by for the next few days. The boxes of things from his dormitory room had been unpacked and put away. The clothes that he stored in the closet had been hung up while the rest remained in the suitcase. His bureau and the rest of his clothes would be shipped out from storage, along with a bookshelf, TV and entertainment system, dishes and most of his pictures. He had brought one picture out with him when he had come East for the academy and that picture was in on the night stand, another item from the Hotchner's garage.

The picture was of him and his mother taken when he had earned his first doctorate. She had come to Cal Tech for the graduation that day. He remembered her being so proud and as she introduced her to some of the professors, she seemed normal. Reid remembered seeing very little of her disease on that day. It had been easy for him to forget everything that made them different from the others and pretend they were a normal mother and son enjoying the son's college graduation. The two of them were far from normal though.

Things had started deteriorating after the day that picture had been taken. Diana's disease had started getting worse. Compounding that was her lackadaisical way of taking her meds. Sometimes she'd take them without any prompting, sometimes he or the family friend who stopped by to check on her several times of day, would need to prompt her. Other times, she would just flat out refuse. Spencer wished he could lose count or forget about the times she had thrown the pills, the bottles, or whatever else had been within reach in her refusal to take them. He had been forced to take a leave of absence from Cal Tech the following spring semester, right before his eighteenth birthday. He had spent three weeks at home trying to care for her and had finally had to admit defeat. His mother needed more help than he was able to give. The day after he turned eighteen, he had committed her to Bennington Sanitarium.

He had told Haley Hotchner that his mom hadn't been able to make his graduation. That hadn't been a lie but they had no idea why. He still felt guilty for putting her in the Sanitarium. Reid was more ashamed to admit to that, than that his mother was a schizophrenic. He had tried to avoid questions about his mother since coming east. No one knew where his mother was at and he planned on keeping it like that if he could. When asked about her, he kept his answers vague and quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.

Changing for bed, Reid was soon settled on the futon. It was still folded down flat from the night before. Sitting cross-legged on the mattress, he laid the clipboard in his lap and began to write his mother a letter.

_Dear Mom,_

_I hope this letter finds you feeling better. Your doctor tells me you've been having some rough days the last week. I do worry about you, even though I know that you're in good hands. I miss you every day and wish I could be closer. You've always told me to follow my dreams though, and right now my dreams have taken me here. I hope these letters are enough to make me feel close to you. I know they give me a closer feeling to you. _

_Sorry to say there isn't much to tell you. It's been an uneventful day. I have managed to get settled into the new apartment. Most of the day was spent shopping for things I needed and a warmer wardrobe. Summer out here wasn't bad but now that the colder weather is setting in, there are definitely times I miss the warm Vegas days. I'm fairly well settled now which is good because I start my first day as an FBI agent tomorrow. There are times that I still can't believe I actually made it through the academy. As I told you in my previous letter, my supervisor's wife took a picture of me on Saturday with my badge and credentials. I hope the picture makes you feel a bit more a part of this chapter of my life . . ._

* * *

Once more Dr. Spence Reid found himself on the Quantico Marine Corps base, the same place he had spent the last five months of his life. There was a difference this time though. He wasn't on the base as an FBI agent in training this time. As he walked toward the building housing the Behavioral Analysis Unit, he knew this time was different. Now he was a Special Agent with the FBI.

~_Funny, how the change in title hasn't changed the way I feel at all. I still feel the same as I did last week - overwhelmed and in over my head_, ~ Spencer Reid thought as he reached out and pulled open the front door of the building. As he stepped inside, two other guys walked quickly through the other door, heading into the building. Like he had in most places he had gone, as he looked at the two men who had entered the building, he felt like he was a kid sneaking into some place he wasn't suppose to be.

He walked into the building and showed his name badge to the security guard on duty, who waved him past the security point. Remembering where to go from his interview the previous week, Reid headed for the elevators. He joined several other gentlemen who were dressed in business attire. He nodded politely as he hit the button for the sixth floor and took a spot by the side of the elevator.

By the time he reached the sixth floor, Reid was alone on the elevator. With a ding of the bell, the machine came to a stop and the doors opened. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly in an attempt to calm his nerves. It didn't help any as he stepped off the elevator and onto the sixth floor. A glance toward SSA Gideon's office told him that it was empty. Reid took a moment to get his bearings, standing a few steps from the elevators. It suddenly occurred to him that he wasn't sure which office was Agent Hotchner's.

"Can I help you?"

Reid looked to see a black-haired woman, in a pin-stripped pant skirt and jacket over a white blouse, standing next to him. She was holding a few manilla envelopes.

"I, I am looking for Agent Hotchner," Reid managed to get out.

"He's in his office, over that way," the lady replied, pointing to an office near Gideon's.

"Thanks," Reid replied, as she walked the rest of the way to the elevator and pushed the up button.

Readjusting the strap of his bag, the new agent headed in the direction he had been pointed in. Moments later he was standing outside Agent Hotchner's office. The door was open, so Reid stepped into the doorway and knocked before realizing the older agent was on the phone.

Upon hearing the knock, Hotch looked up. Seeing Reid there he waved the young man into the office. Reid took a few slow steps into the room as Hotch continued with his phone call. He motioned for Reid to have a seat in the chair across from him. The nervous young agent did so, holding his messenger bag nervously in his lap.

Hotch finished his phone call and hung up the phone. "I hope you didn't have any plans for tonight. I just finished booking our hotel rooms for tonight in Pennington Gap." Across the desk, Reid shook his head. "We're heading out there to conduct an interview at the US Penitentiary Lee as part of the bureau's ongoing study of serial killers. It's scheduled for tomorrow morning so I figured it would be best to stay at a hotel out there tonight, conduct the interview and then head back here afterwards. Do you have a Go-bag ready?" At the blank looked that came across Reid's face, Hotchner knew the answer was no. "Don't worry, we've got time to get you squared away before we leave this afternoon," Hotch told him, to which Reid just nodded.

Hotch could tell by the stiff way the young agent sat in the chair without leaning against the back, that he was nervous. Reid's messenger bag was now stuffed between him and the side of the chair, but his one hand still clutched it.

~_Morgan and Hudson being away on the case with Gideon is a blessing in disguise_, ~ Hotch thought, knowing that those two agents weren't going to exactly welcome Reid to the team with open arms. At least we can ease him into this a little and not throw everything at him at once.

"Gideon and two of the other agents are in Charleston, on the current case. They left yesterday afternoon, so you'll meet them when they get back," Hotch informed the new agent. "Right now, why don't I show you around the place and introduce you to SSA Nichols, who stayed behind on this case," he added as he got to his feet. ~_Perhaps showing him around will help him relax some, _~ Hotch thought.

Across the desk, Agent Reid also got to his feet. The new agent put the strap of the bag over his head, resting the strap on his right shoulder. He then followed Hotch out of the office.

* * *

SSA Derek Morgan followed the Charleston police cruiser through the streets of the city at nine-fifteen in the morning. When the agents of the BAU team had arrived at the station, they had found it in an uproar. Reports of a possible third murder were just being received. A local man, out walking his dog, had reported finding three suitcases, near where the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge was under construction on the Cooper River. The location was down river from where the other victims had been found. As both of the previous victims bodies had been found in pieces, those pieces put neatly into suitcases, the feeling was that this might be another murder connected to the case.

The three FBI agents had spent the few remaining hours of daylight that was left following their arrival the previous day looking over the first crime scene. Both victims had been left in the same area. Using the crime scene photos from both murders, the profilers had tried to get a feel for the site and the crime that had been committed. The fact that both victims had been found in the same area and how they were found led the team to the conclusion that it was a dump site and the actual murders had taken place elsewhere. Where that place was, they weren't sure.

In the passenger seat of the black SUV, Gideon went over what they had so far. Unfortunately, it wasn't much. They could find no connection between the first two victims - Chad Anderson and Lucy Ling. No DNA or other evidence that could be linked to the UnSub had been found. The only connection was the mutilation and disposal of the bodies.

~_Perhaps this crime scene will provide us with something more to work with if indeed this is a murder related to our case_, ~ Gideon thought. ~_If it is, he's changed his dump site for some reason and I don't want to dwell too much on what three suitcases might be mean._~

Fifteen minutes later, Morgan was pulling the SUV off the side of the road behind the police cruiser. In the grass beside the road, a gentleman in his early sixties stood holding a leash. At the other end of the leash, a Scottish Terrier sat obediently at his master's feet. As the three federal agents climbed from the vehicle, they all assumed this was the man who had called in about finding the suitcases.

Detective Michael Roberts, who had dealt with both the previous murders, got out from the passenger side of the police cruiser. He took his badge out of the inside pocket of the grey suit jacket he wore as he headed toward the man with the dog. The deputy that had driven him to the scene maneuvered around the front of the car, and followed him. The three FBI agents following both the local cops, while a police photographer in an unmarked car behind the SUV followed everyone.

"Stan Larson?" Roberts asked, as he approached the man, his badge out for the man to see.

"Yeah, that's me," the older gentleman replied. The Terrier at his feet growled softly. "Hush, Marmalade," Stan scolded the dog, moving his hand on the leash to shorten the slack in it.

Roberts stopped further away from Stan than he normally would have, but with the growling dog, he figured the extra space would be a good idea.

"Detective Michael Roberts," the Charleston police detective said. Normally he would shake hands with the man but he wasn't sure how the dog would react to the gesture. He'd rather appear rude than get bitten by the canine. "You called in about finding some suspicious suitcases?"

"I sure did. Was out walking Marmalade here," Stan said, gesturing to the dog at his feet who was watching all the law enforcement personnel closely. "We were down by the river, the view is pretty and it's peaceful this time of day. I spotted three suitcases down by the water, newer looking ones. Couldn't fathom why anyone would throw them out and then I remembered the news broadcast the other day about the dead bodies found in the suitcases. Marmalade was sniffing around them and growling by that point and so I called the police."

"Did you touch the suitcases at all?"

"No. If there's something dead in them, I sure don't want to see it."

"Mr. Larson, do you walk Marmalade down here often?" Agent Gideon asked, from where he was standing right behind Roberts' right shoulder.

Stan Larson looked at Gideon, who was dressed in slacks and a maroon dress shirt, the top button undone. His gun was on his hip and his badge clipped to his belt near the holster. The caller looked the agent up and down. "You don't look like one of the local cops, even the detectives."

"I'm not. Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Jason Gideon," the agent replied, taking a step past Roberts and holding out his hand for Larson to shake, ignoring the growl from Marmalade. Stan took his hand and shook it. "We've been asked to come in and assist your local police department."

"The Feds? You mean you local guys can't handle this?" Stan said looking back toward Roberts.

Roberts opened his mouth to respond but Gideon beat him to it. "The Charleston Police are on top of this case. We've been asked to consult on the case in the hopes that this case can be wrapped up quickly. So, Mr. Larson do you bring Marmalade down here often for her walk?"

"At least a few times a week. It's a big city, I like to keep up the variety but like I said it's peaceful down here. It's one of my favorite areas to walk in. Marmalade's too."

"Any pattern to when you come down here? Every so many days? Every Monday?"

Stan shook his head. "No. I come down here when the mood strikes me."

"Can you show us where the suitcases are?"

"Sure can," Stan said. "This way," he said, heading down a worn path toward the river.

The detective and three federal agents followed Stan down the path, with the deputy who had driven Roberts to the site and the police photographer trailing behind. Roberts and Gideon walked down the path side by side.

"You're here to help us wrap this up quickly? You're going to have this guy thinking we're slow," Roberts whispered to Gideon, not even trying to cover up the annoyance in his voice.

"Better that then the public thinking the local police are incompetent," Gideon countered, trying to keep the situation from escalating. The last thing he needed was for Roberts to go to his boss with a complaint and chief rescinding the invitation for the BAU to be here.

"Small consolation," Roberts muttered under his breath.

Gideon let it go. Sometimes playing politics with the locals was just as hard as catching the UnSub.

It wasn't long before the waters of the Cooper River were in view as well as the under construction Ravenel Bridge.

"That sure is going to be something to see when it's completed," Morgan commented, as they stepped out onto a wider path that ran alongside the river.

"Yeah, the Ravenel Bridge will replace our two current bridges, the Grace Memorial and Pearman bridges," Roberts commented, pointing out the two current bridges. "It'll be the longest cable-stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere as well as open up the shipping lane to three of the city's shipping terminals to the largest container ships which currently cannot access the ports due to the clearance under the old bridges. Not to mention, you don't want to know what those bridges are scored at in terms of safety."

None of the FBI agents asked him to elaborate on that topic. They had enough things to worry about.

"There they are," Stan spoke up, coming to a stop about twenty feet from the suitcases.

As he had said, the three suitcases looked relatively new. All of them were black and were sitting in the weeds just off the path. They were evenly spaced, sitting upright perpendicular to the trail. The police photographer stepped to the front of the group and began taking pictures of the scene.

"Definitely placed there and not just dumped quickly. And they haven't been there long either," Hudson commented as he and Morgan walked past the other four members of the group and headed toward the objects. Both agents were pulling gloves onto their hands as they walked.

"Um, if you don't mind, I'd prefer to be elsewhere when you open those things just in case. Seeing that kind of stuff on the news is bad enough."

"Of course," Detective Roberts said. "Thank-you for calling this in. Deputy Callhorn here will walk you back up to where we parked," he added, gesturing to the deputy. "He'll also take your name and contact information just in case we have further questions."

"Okay," Stan Larson said. As he and the deputy headed back in the direction the group had come from, Roberts and Gideon followed the other two agents toward the suitcases.

"How about we find out what we're dealing with?" Roberts commented, motioning to the first and largest suitcase in the group.

The police photographer positioned himself just behind Morgan as the federal agent reached out and gently placed the suitcase flat on the ground. Taking hold of the two zippers that were currently together in the middle, he unzipped the suitcase. He then slowly flipped the top back. The contents of the suitcase made Morgan wish that he had skipped breakfast that morning.

"Care to guess what's in the other two?" he commented, looking up at the other people gathered, though no one in the group really needed to venture a guess.

"I better call it in and get a crime scene unit out here," Roberts said.

Gideon nodded. ~_Hopefully this will give us the information we need to crack this thing_, ~ he thought even as he watched Hudson walk a short distance away from the suitcases to throw-up in the weeds on the opposite side of the trail. ~_This definitely isn't a good sight to wake up to in the morning, _~ he thought, looking away from Hudson and moving closer to Morgan who had moved to the second suitcase. He knew Hudson would collect himself and then rejoin them. This job got to all of them at times. They wouldn't be human if it didn't.

This suitcase was smaller than the others. As Morgan opened the top, they were given a reason for that. Despite the condition of the body, it was obvious from the size of the body parts and the visible head, that the victim had been a little girl. Again, Morgan's breakfast threatened to come up, but unlike Hudson he managed to keep his stomach under control.

"You really want to subject a twenty-two-year-old, fresh from the academy agent to sights like this," Morgan commented, looking up at Gideon.

"Let's focus on the case at hand," Gideon told him, even as he acknowledged the truth to those words to himself. Truth was, this wasn't a sight he would wish on anybody, no matter how old they were. Unfortunately, it was part of the job. Whether he could handle it, was something that Reid would need to answer for himself. Sheltering him from this aspect of the job wasn't part of Gideon's or even Hotch's responsibility. Helping him deal with it when that time came was.

That wasn't right now though. Right now, they had three fresh bodies and an UnSub on the loose. All Gideon wanted to do was locate this guy before he added to his body count.


	6. Meeting Nichols

"Agent Chad Nichols has been with the team since Gideon first put it together. He's our technical specialist, providing us with information whether he stays here or he's out in the field with us," Hotch told Reid, as he led him toward the room Nichols referred to as his den. He had given Reid the tour of the entire building, leaving Nichols' office for last. As he expected, the team's technical specialist was in front of his five computer screens. The door to the office was ajar but not wide open.

Agent Hotchner knocked of the door.

"Hold one minute, sir," Nichols said from inside the office. It was followed by a call for them to come in.

Hotch pushed the door open the rest of the way and motioned Reid into the room. Hotch then followed the younger agent inside.

"Morning, Hotch," Nichols said, seeing the older agent walk in. "This must be the new guy," he continued, turning his attention to Reid. Nichols got to his feet and held a hand out to the new agent. "Chad Nichols resident computer and research geek. Nice to meet you."

Reid shook Nichols' hand. He attempted to introduce himself but suddenly found that his mouth felt as though it was filled with sawdust. From behind Reid, Hotch spoke up.

"Nichols, this is Dr. Spencer Reid, our team's newest member. Did we interrupt something?"

"Gideon called and was about to update me on what's going on down south. You want to listen in?"

Hotch nodded, as Nichols sat back down in his chair. He hit a few buttons on the phone and then spoke. "Hey Boss, you're on speaker. Hotch and that new k . . . Agent Reid have joined me," Nichols informed Gideon, stopping himself from saying new kid upon remembering Gideon's lecture to him and his two teammates the other day.

"Sorry, I wasn't there to greet you your first day, Dr. Reid, but welcome to the team," Gideon said, his voice coming over the speaker of the phone on Nichols' desk.

Having managed to get some moisture in his mouth again Reid managed a, "thank-you, sir."

"How are things going down there, Gideon?"

"Not good. We've got three new bodies, a preliminary estimate is they've been dead for about four hours. Positive identification is going to take some time yet but we've either got a family that was killed or the UnSub managed to snag three people at different times. What we do know is we've got the bodies of a middle-aged male, middle age female, and a female girl around eight years old."

"Same MO as the others?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah. All three were found cut in pieces and placed in their own suitcase and then left in the open on the banks of the Cooper River."

Keeping an eye on Reid while listening to Gideon, Hotch noticed the young man pale considerably. As Gideon continued, Hotch took a step closer to the younger agent and kept a close eye on him. Discussing things in a class room and hearing about events that were currently taking place were two different things.

"We're further down river from where the other bodies were found by about a mile, though. We haven't come up with any concrete evidence as to why he changed his dump site though it's likely he thought the old one might be under surveillance following the media reporting the first two murders. One thing is for sure though, the cuts made are too clean and precise for these to be his first kill. The way the body parts are neatly arranged, in the exact same way in each suitcase, also indicates this is something he has perfected. Pictures and interviews of detectives on the first two scenes reveal the same thing."

"So he's killed before," Hotch stated.

"Right. Hudson thinks he recalls a case a few years back involving bodies being cut up and placed in coolers. It may be the same guy. Think you can find a reference to it, Nichols?"

"Any idea as to the location of these crimes?"

There was a pause and faint talking as Gideon spoke with Hudson. "No. Hudson can't recall where he heard it or where it happened."

"Do you realize how many police stations there are in the United States? I mean you've got state, city, and county police and they don't exactly like to talk to one another as you know. Without a region to look in I'm going to be looking at each one individually."

"Can you do it?" Gideon asked, used to the computer specialist's grumbles.

"Yes, but it's going to take awhile."

"Nevada," Reid said quietly. Hotch and Nichols, who had barely heard him shot him a questioning look. Hotch gave the young agent a nod to continue. "Three years ago, there were reports of bodies being found in coolers in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area at the mouth of the Muddy River. I remember reading about at least four bodies being found over a four-month period. The Las Vegas field office offered assistance in solving the murders but was turned away by city police."

"Got it," Nichols said, who had been typing information into his computer as Reid spoke. "Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation into the disappearance and murder of five people from the towns of Arrowhead, Overton and Logandale, Nevada. All three towns located near the Muddy River north of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area where the bodies were found. The investigation continued for four months following the discovery of the fifth body but was finally left as an unsolved case. Guess after refusing the FBI's help when it was offered after the second body was found, the LVMPD was too prideful to ask for help when they realized they were getting nowhere."

"If we can't solve it no one can," Gideon commented. "Nichols, I want you to gather all the information you can on those five murders. Contact the police station that worked the case and ask them to send us the files from the case and be nice about it. They weren't happy with the bureau offering help before and it's likely they're not going to appreciate our interest now."

"Got it. Nice. I can do that," Nichols said.

"Nice work, Dr. Reid," Gideon said. "We'll stay in touch. Depending on how this thing goes, I may end up needing you three down here yet."

"Understood," Hotch replied. "Meanwhile, if there's anything we can do to help from here, let us know."

"I will. When are you and Reid leaving for that interview?"

"After lunch. We'll drive out there tonight, spend the night and be ready for the interview in the morning. The plan is to drive back following it."

"All right. We're heading back to the station down here to start going over what we know so far. Gideon out."

"Talk nicely to the city cops," Nichols muttered under his breath. He raised his voice a little as he continued. "That's easier said than done. Hey Junior, you're from Nevada aren't you?" Nichols asked, to which Reid nodded in response. "So Hotch, why don't we let the hometown boy make the request? Might go over better with the locals, talking with one of their own," he suggested, letting his gaze move from Reid to Hotch as he spoke.

"Nice try, Nichols, but we're not feeding him to the lions on his first day here," Hotch told the other agent, as he rested one hand on Reid's shoulder. "All you've got to do is politely ask for the files of a three year old, unsolved murder case. That shouldn't be hard at all."

"Yeah, right. I don't hear you volunteering."

"Reid and I have got paperwork to work on," Hotch replied.

"Paperwork over talking to the locals," Nichols said, shifting his gaze from Hotch to Reid. "That right there should tell you what I'm going up against, Junior." Nichols looked back at Hotch. "You know what would make this job a whole lot easier, someone trained to play diplomat to the local authorities."

"Well, trained or not, you're the diplomat for the day, Nichols. If you run into trouble though, you know where to find me," Hotch said.

Nichols nodded and gave a quick, sloppy salute before turning his chair to face the desk again.

"Come on, we really do need to get your paperwork out of the way before we leave this afternoon," Hotch told Reid nodding toward the door of the office.

As the two of them left the office though, Hotch thought about what Nichols had said. _~Someone trained to play diplomat to the local authorities._ _We're trying to get a media liaison added to the team. Why not have that person help deal with the local authorities too? _~ Hotch thought, making a mental note to add it to the proposal he was supposed to work up.

"Ah, Sir, what was that about feeding me to the lions?" Reid asked, as Hotch led the new agent back to the conference room. As Reid's desk was in the bullpen, he thought the young agent might feel more at ease working on the standard paper work away from prying eyes.

"The local police forces are not always receptive to our help, even when we're invited in sometimes. They see the Feds as coming in to save the day and take all the credit for things that they have put in a lot of man hours into before we even get on the scene. Getting their cooperation is a lot of politics and stroking egos at times, which is something they don't teach you in the academy," Hotch told him. "Everyone has different tactics and styles, all with their own flaws and merits. I'll of course give you some pointers but I want you to observe the other agents on this team while you're out in the field, too. Learn what they do and observe what works or doesn't work, then take what does work and tailor it to your own personality."

The instructors at the Academy had told them that their learning period did not end when they left the academy, one of the main reasons for the two-year probationary period of an agent. Reid was realizing that those instructors hadn't been wrong. Here he was only an hour into his first assignment and he was being reminded of that.

"Despite his reluctance at doing so, Nichols is actually good at dealing with the local law enforcement agencies. You can learn a lot from him in that area. However, I'm not about to allow that to happen unsupervised. As much as Nichols hates playing politics with the locals he probably would let you make the request and either sink or swim," Hotch added, as he led the way into the conference room. "Don't get me wrong, he's a good guy and would never do anything to put you in danger but when it comes to getting out of tasks he doesn't like, stay on your toes."

Reid nodded, not sure how to respond to that comment. Hotch motioned to the table.

"Take a seat and I'll go get the paperwork from my office."

"Yes, sir," Reid said.

As Hotch left the conference room, Reid walked over to the table. He slipped the strap of his bag over his head, placing it in an empty chair and then sat down in the chair next to it. The young agent looked around the room. Agent Hotchner had told him that this was where they reviewed their cases. Where they did most of their team brainstorming. Reid knew he would be spending quite a bit of time here over the next couple of years.

* * *

"You've been back at the BAU for two days and already I miss you working at the Academy," Haley said as she sat across the kitchen table from her husband later that day. With going on the overnight business trip, Hotch had managed to plan his schedule to share one last meal with his wife before leaving.

Agent Hotchner had just informed Haley that depending on how the case went down in South Carolina, he might be headed down there following the interview. Nichols had managed to get the Nevada State Police to open their files concerning the unsolved murders in the Lake Meade area to the FBI. When Hotch had left the office to come here, Nichols was busy getting the information from the Nevada police. Afterwards, he would pass it along to the three down in South Carolina as well as start going through it himself. The first thing they needed to do was determine if the sets of murders were in fact connected.

"I know I complained about the long hours you were putting in then, but at least I knew you would be home every night."

Hotch sighed. "I know this isn't easy for you Haley but it's what I do. I'll stay in touch while I'm gone, you know that. Besides, there is no guarantee that Gideon is going to want us down there, I'm just giving you the heads up so it won't come as a surprise."

"I do appreciate that," Haley said, forcing a small smile. She reached across the table, to take her husband's hand. "I just miss you when you're away."

"I miss you too," Aaron told her, placing his other hand on top of hers.

The two fell silent. They spent a few moments just enjoying each others company, silent messages passing between their eyes.

"That new agent started today didn't he?"

"Yes he did. He'll be coming along on the interview with me."

"He seems like a nice young man, though a little awkward," Haley commented. She thought about Reid's comment about his only family being his mother and then thought about her own family. She had her parents, her sister and her brother not to mention extended family. Family was important to her and she hoped they would have a kid of their own soon. As much as she loved Aaron, she couldn't imagine what it would be like if he was the only one there to provide the kind of support that only family could provide. "I kind of feel sorry for him, being here on his own. Where is his mother living?"

Aaron looked at her, knowing exactly what she was trying to express with her words. He knew what family met to Haley. "I'm not really sure. I would assume Las Vegas, as that's where Reid is from."

"So she isn't even close," Haley commented. "Maybe we could invite him over for dinner from time to time," she suggested, not sure how her husband would react to the suggestion. They had often had Gideon, Collins, as well as Nichols and his family over and gone to the Nichols' home from time to time. They even saw Franklin and his wife from time to time, though the older couple were spending their time traveling since Franklin had retired. Haley knew that her husband had grown close to his teammates over the years. They were important people in the life of the man she loved and for his sake the blonde had accepted them into her life. Other than Spencer she had yet to meet the newer members of the team, though Aaron had talked to her about them. Was there a different dynamic with the newer agents that she wasn't aware of? Morgan and Robbins had been with the team since close to the start of the year and even the outsider she was, she had a feeling they weren't as close as the original members of the team had been. Now Robbins wasn't there and another agent had taken his place. Haley couldn't even recall the name Aaron had given her when he had mentioned the recent personnel changes.

"We can do that if you'd like. Just let me know when and I'll extend the invitation," Aaron told her, glad that she was willing to share the time she had with him with his co-workers.

The team aspect of what they did had fostered close bonds between the members of a team. He had learned that over the years. Like Gideon had said, their team dynamics were changing. Collins leaving was like losing a family member, and he hoped she would stay in touch when she finally settled somewhere. As much as he missed her though, he was happy for her too. That was something that Robbins had never accepted and probably one of the reasons he hadn't fit well with the BAU. Robbins was too much of a loner and while he would have fit in with the old style of the BAU, the team concept just wasn't something that would work for him.

Morgan had been much the same way as Robbins was when he had joined. Distant and guarded, and even now, none of the team knew too much about Morgan's personal life. His intelligence, professionalism, street smarts, and the skills he brought to the team were invaluable though. Right before Hotch had taken a leave of absence from the BAU to serve as field counselor at the Academy that had started to change. Morgan had started to talk about his life outside the bureau more. Had talked about his years before joining the FBI. Given how chummy Morgan and the new agent, Hudson, had appeared the day before, Hotch figured that hadn't changed.

Hotch recalled his conversation with Gideon from the day before about the changing team dynamics. Would those dynamics interfere with the effectiveness of the team? It was something only time could tell for sure, though like Gideon, as one of the original members of the team he felt responsibility to make sure that it didn't.

"Penny for your thoughts," Haley said, looking quizzically across the table at her husband.

Hotch smiled. She knew him well, maybe sometimes better than he knew himself.

"Just thinking about what Gideon and I were talking about yesterday about the changing dynamics of the team and wondering how its going to affect us. Gideon, Collins, Franklin, Nichols and I were together for so long and we knew how each other would react in any situation. That's changing. First Morgan replaced Franklin and then we brought Robbins onboard. It wasn't the same after that. I'd like to think the rest of us welcomed them into the team but maybe we didn't do as good of a job as we thought we did. At any rate, Robbins just didn't seem to be able to get comfortable."

"From what you've said, Robbins never went out of the way to really fit in with the team. You guys can't take all the blame for it not working if that was the case."

"What if we didn't try hard enough? If that's the case, then what's to say it's not going to happen again?"

"You and the original members of the team shared something special Aaron. You guys made something work that everyone else said wasn't possible. It's only natural that you all felt a special bond that came from accomplishing that. You probably won't be able to capture that again but that doesn't mean the team won't be able to make adjustments and keep functioning. Just give it time."

"Words of wisdom from a very beautiful and smart lady."

"Well, of course I'm smart, I married you didn't, I?" Haley said, with a smile giving her husband's hand a squeeze.


	7. Making a Connection

"What's bugging you?" SSA Derek Morgan asked as he followed Hudson into the conference room that had been set aside for the BAU team's use. Morgan reached out and snagged the doorknob before the door, which Hudson had flung open with more force than necessary, could hit the wall.

"Nothing," Hudson said, striding across the room and standing at one of the three windows in the room. He stood with his back to Morgan, gazing at the cop cars parked outside.

"I don't need to be a profiler to realize that's a lie," Morgan replied, shutting the door to the room. Hudson turned from the window and glared at him. "Your body language says you're mad about something, you snapped at the deputy who was on scene trying to help us, the only things you've said have been work related, you have slammed the car doors twice, and tried sending this one through the wall. Either an alien has suddenly possessed your body or something is bugging you."

"He's doing it already and he hasn't even officially been a part of this team for a day yet!"

"Doing what?" Morgan asked, able to deduce that Hudson was referring to their new team member, Reid.

"Showing us up! Making me look like an idiot because I couldn't remember where that case took place!"

"All the new guy did was add information he had to our investigation. He wasn't showing you up or trying to make you look like an idiot. Every case is a team effort. We all contribute. That's all that happened today. You're the one that recalled the similar cases."

Hudson snorted. "Like anyone will remember that. All they'll remember is boy-genius gave them the location to track down the information and saved the day. How did he know about that case anyway?"

The door had opened while Hudson had asked his last question.

"I think Nichols said Reid was from Las Vegas. It probably got more news coverage out there than it did in our area," Morgan replied, turning to the door as he did so.

Gideon had entered the room with a file in his hand. "The coroner has confirmed the identity of the three new victims," he said, holding the file out to Morgan. "Get the laptop set up and Nichols online, and add these pictures to the board. We'll discuss victimology shortly."

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied taking the file from the BAU unit chief.

Gideon turned to Hudson. "You and I need to talk," Gideon told him, gesturing toward the door he had left open when he had entered the room.

Without a word, Hudson crossed the room and exited. Gideon followed, leaving Morgan in the room by himself. He placed the file on the table and opened it. Inside, were three photos of the victims from that morning when they were still alive. Glancing quicky at the coroner's report, he saw that the three victims had indeed been related. A father, mother and their daughter.

As Morgan started adding the new pictures to their evidence board, he looked through the window of the conference room. Not far away, in one of the offices he saw Gideon and Hudson. Gideon was doing most of the talking, and Morgan was secretly glad he wasn't in Hudson's place, as it looked like their supervisor was in serious lecture mode.

Morgan looked away from the scene in the office and concentrated on getting the evidence board up to date. It didn't take him long, and then he retrieved his laptop from the corner he had placed the bag in and sat down at the table, back facing the door so he wouldn't see what was going on between his two co-workers. It didn't take long for the laptop to boot up, and moments later the web cam had a connection to the computers back in Quantico.

"The Quantico branch of the BAU. How may I be of service?" Nichols asked as his face appeared on the screen.

"Hey man. We've got id's on the three new victims. Gideon wanted you online while we're discussing the case."

"Nice of you guys to think about me. I often feel forgotten when I get left behind."

"Like we could ever forget about you. How did it go with the LVMPD?"

"Fine. I've been busy gathering the information they've been sending me both via email and fax. Hopefully, there is an end to it soon and I can pass it along to you all. Once I get it organized that is."

"Organized? That's not like you, Nichols. You usually keep everything in order as you go along and freak out if someone so much as moves something a centimeter."

"Yeah, well this isn't my doing. I've got three theories going. One - the officers of the LVMPD are horrendous record keepers. Two - the file got dropped out there at some point and no one put it back together. Theory number three is, the person sending me this stuff is sending it out of order on purpose. Given their feelings about federal interference before, I'm leaning toward theory three."

Morgan grinned. He knew how much the disorganized papers were driving his fellow agent crazy.

"On the positive side, crime scene photos from those five murders were emailed to me, and will be on the way to you momentarily. Meanwhile, how about you give me the names of those three new victims and I'll start seeing what I can dig up on them. I've also got some interesting information to share with you all about the first two victims when the other two join us. Where are Gideon and Hudson anyway?"

Morgan glanced over his shoulder. Both agents were still in the office. He looked back toward the computer screen. "A private conference," Morgan replied. "So what's the new guy like in person?"

"I only met him briefly but I can say Hudson was wrong on at least two accounts. He doesn't come off as either stuck-up or spoiled. The rich part, can't say but why would he have joined the FBI if that was the case?"

Morgan nodded at that point. Special Agent for the FBI wasn't something you did just for the "fun" of it.

"He seems a bit on the shy side, as he was hesitant to offer that information about the Nevada case."

"Well, I hope he gets over that quickly. The whole point of doing this as a team is to bounce ideas off one another," Morgan commented.

"I'm sure he will. Gideon and Hotch usually do a good job at picking members for this team. Robbins was a fluke, though maybe if you weren't so threatening . . ."

"Don't go blaming Robbins not working out on me. I tried to work with the guy."

On the computer screen Nichols smiled. He enjoyed getting Morgan riled up and he knew exactly how to do it. Seeing the smile, Morgan knew he had been baited. Before he could respond though the dark-skinned agent heard the door to the conference room open. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Gideon enter followed by Hudson, the latter who closed the door behind him in a much calmer fashion than he had when he had entered the room earlier.

"Let's get started," Gideon said, walking over to a chair at the end of the table and placing his hands on the back of it.

Morgan pushed the laptop toward the center of the table and angled it, so that Gideon was able to see Nichols on the screen as well.

* * *

"I'd like for you and Reid to head to Nevada," Gideon told Hotch when the former prosecutor had called to check in following the interview. "Check out where the bodies were dumped there and see if you can't get the detective who worked the case to talk to you. Nichols has linked all of our current victims back to that area. Charles Anderson grew up in Overton, Nevada. He came to the Charleston Area when he went to law school, married a local girl and stayed. Lucy Ling is the daughter of a Nevada prostitute who was one of the victims in the Lake Meade murders. She moved here five months after her mother's death. The last three victims - the Madison family, they're from Arrowhead, Nevada. The fact that the victims all have links to the Lake Meade area is the only link between them that we've discovered so far. I've already had the pilot head up there to fly you and Reid out to Nevada."

"Okay. I'll get a hold of Nichols on the flight out and have him catch us up on the details," Hotch responded. "I'll let you know what we find."

Hotch ended the call with Gideon and looked over at Reid, who was sitting in the passenger seat. "Looks like we're heading for Nevada," Hotch informed him, turning the key that was already in the ignition of the SUV.

"The murders there are connected to the current ones then?" Reid asked.

"It looks that way. At the very least, the fact that all the victims in Charleston are currently or at one time from that area, is the only thing connecting them and at least one of them has a connection to a victim from the murders in the Lake Meade area."

"Do you think the Las Vegas PD will cooperate now?" Reid asked, as Hotch pulled the car out of the parking lot of the prison and headed toward the airport. As they had planned on driving home following the interview, their bags were in the SUV and they had already checked out of the hotel.

"Technically, we don't need their willing cooperation. The Charleston Police have already invited us in on the case. We have reason to believe that these previous murders are connected to the case we're working on. If necessary, we can force the issue and require the LVMPD to help us out."

"If necessary?"

"The best way to proceed is to still make them feel like we are asking for their willing cooperation. There will be less hard feelings that way. The fact that they've already opened the files to us, indicates that they'll be willing to cooperate."

Reid nodded.

The new agent remained quiet after that, lost in thoughts that didn't really have anything to directly do with the case. Instead, he was pondering the irony that his first case with the BAU was taking him back home to the Las Vegas area. Not only were there 49 other states in the country but Nevada was a big state. The chances of the first case he would work on would involve the Las Vegas area was small. He couldn't help but wonder if that was a sign and if so, what exactly did that sign mean? Did it mean that he should really be in Nevada and not in Washington, D.C.? Had joining the FBI been a mistake?

~_It's just nerves_, ~ he told himself as he looked out the window at the passing scenery. ~_The doubts are just a manifestation of my worry about making a good impression. Of proving that I belong here. Proving that the belief that Hotch, Gideon and all the other people, who had made it possible for him to be here now, wasn't misplaced._~

Reid had seen the resentment in the eyes of some of his fellow cadets back at the Academy. Those who hadn't thought it fair that he was admitted to the academy before he met the age requirement. Seen resentment in the eyes of some of the agents at the BAU yesterday and had wondered if they had been trying for the position on this team that he had gotten.

Though Nichols had seemed to accept him without a problem, Reid couldn't help but wonder if his other two teammates would do the same. Right now all he had were names - Agents Hudson and Morgan. Reid had asked Hotch a few questions about them, trying to get a feel for them. It hadn't really helped. ~_I guess I'll just have to wait until I meet them to find out what they're like, _~ he thought.

"Our best course of action is to try and get whoever lead the original investigation to talk to us. It will give us the best chance of finding out information about the original murders that isn't in the reports," Hotch said, bringing Reid out of his thoughts. "We need to get a feel for the previous victims. Find out if anything, other than the area they are from, links the victims from three years ago with this set of victims."

"If it is the same UnSub, what has he been doing the last three years? It's not normal for a serial killer to stop for any long length of time and then start up again."

"Exactly. More than likely, we're dealing with one of two scenarios. There could be other victims out there that we don't know about. Maybe the investigation got too close to him for comfort so he moved on. Or the UnSub got arrested on an unrelated charge, and stopped killing because he was in jail. When we talk to Nichols on the plane, I'll get him to get a list of people in the Lake Mead area that were arrested around the time that the fifth body was found and were recently released."

Reid nodded. The young agent opened his mouth to something and then doubting himself, remained silent. Out of the corner of his eye, Agent Hotchner caught the gesture.

"What is it, Reid?"

"Well, I was just thinking that Nevada and South Carolina are quite a distance away. If the UnSub did start killing again after a release from jail, why jump across the country? Even if he didn't want to take the chance of killing in the same area again, jumping one state would make more sense than moving across country unless he had a specific target. There could be a link between the first victim in Charleston, Chad Anderson, and the UnSub."

"Good point. Gideon said that Anderson grew up in the Overton area. We should look into his past, specifically when he lived in Nevada."

The conversation about the case continued to the airport. Once at the airport, Hotch parked the SUV. The two agents grabbed their bags, and headed for the building. After a few inquiries, Hotch got an estimated arrival time for their jet. Having some time before the jet landed, the two agents found a secluded area to sit and put a call into Nichols back in Quantico.

* * *

Hotch pulled the SUV from the Las Vegas Field Office into a parking spot outside the LVMPD police station covering Area 87, or the Longdale and Overton areas. Nichols had talked to the station's captain, Dale Langley, and arranged for the Captain to meet with Hotchner and Reid. Nichols said that the tone of this more recent conversation with the local police in Nevada was different from his previous conversation as there seemed to be less resistence to the idea of FBI involvement.

"_I didn't go digging as I didn't want to go alienating anyone by mistake, but I get the feeling something had changed out there, Hotch,_" Hudson had told him during the last phone call right before they had landed in Nevada.

~_Looks like I'm about to find out for myself, ~ _Hotch thought, as he pulled the key out of the ignition.

Hotch got out of the vehicle, and closed the door. As he started toward the building, he looked over at his newest teammate. "Let me do the talking for now," he told him. "We want their cooperation in this matter, as it will make our job a whole lot easier. This is your first case, things in the field can be quite different from when you're at the academy. Observe and learn."

"Yes, Sir," Reid replied as he held onto the strap of his messenger bag, fingering it nervously.

Reaching the door, Hotch entered the station followed by Reid. Taking his credentials out of the pocket of his suit jacket, he walked toward the information desk.

"Can I help you?" the officer seated behind the bullet proof window asked, as he saw the two men approaching.

"SSA Aaron Hotchner. I'm here to talk to Captain Langley," Hotch said, holding the badge up for him to see.

"Yes sir. I'll buzz you in through the door to your right," the officer replied.

Hotch nodded and then turned toward the door. Reaching it, he turned the handle. Opening the door, he stepped inside with Reid right behind him.

"Captain Langley is waiting for you in his office, sir," a female officer told them. "Just follow me."

The two FBI agents followed her through the station. It wasn't long before she stopped outside of an office with an open door. The officer paused, and knocked on the open door. The occupant of the office, looked up and motioned her inside.

"Sir, the FBI agents are here," she informed her superior as Hotch and Reid followed her into the office.

"Okay. Thank-you Mills," Captain Langley said as he got to his feet. The female officer nodded and then slipped past the two agents and out of the office. "I'm Captain Langley. Agent Nichols tells me you're here to reopen the case involving the five murders in the Lake Mead area three years ago. The Lake Mead Butcher is what I believe the media had dubbed him."

"That's right, Captain," Hotch replied. " I'm SSA Agent Hotchner and this is SA Spencer Reid. The rest of our team is working a case in South Carolina which we believe may have a connection to the murders that took place in this area three years ago. We were hoping we could talk to whoever headed the investigation back then as well as looking at the files which you've already given us access to."

"This morning I would have told you that I thought you were wasting your time taking a look at those murders."

"What's changed?"

"I was informed that Lt. Jake Madison was killed while on vacation with his family. He was the lead investigator on the case three years ago."

"Jake Madison is one of the most recent victims down in Charleston," Reid whispered to Hotch, recognizing the name.

Hotch nodded not having made the connection to the Charleston murders himself, though the name had sounded familiar.

"Madison was vacationing in Charleston?" Hotch asked Langley.

The police captain nodded. "I was told by the Charleston police that the FBI was looking into the murder. Am I right in assuming those FBI agents would be your team?"

"Yes. Lt. Madison and his family are the latest victims in that case. In fact, all of the victims down there have some link to the Las Vegas area. The fact that Madison was involved in the original investigation is the first direct link we have to previous murders though," Hotch told him, knowing he would need to get this new information to Gideon as soon as possible.

"Well, you'll have the full cooperation of this station. Anything you need, just let me know."

"I appreciate that, Captain. Is there anyone else working here that was a part of the original investigation?"

"I'm not sure offhand. I knew about Madison, because I had looked up the lead investigator for the case when I talked to Agent Nichols," Langley said. "I'll have someone look into it for you," Langley told him. Hotch nodded, not happy about the delay but knowing it was unavoidable at this point. "Wait a second. Madison had a partner at the time, Officer Jensen. Jensen was a rookie back then and Madison was his training officer. Jensen would have been involved in the investigation."

"Is Officer Jensen working today?"

"I'll let you know in one minute," Langley said, sitting down at his desk and picking up his phone. He made his inquiry to whomever he had called. After a brief pause, the police captain spoke again. "Recall him to the station. I want to meet with him."

Langley hung up the phone and looked up at Agent Hotchner. "Jensen is out on patrol right now. It'll take him a bit to get back to the station. Is there anything I can do for you while we wait?"

"Do you have a place Agent Reid and I could operate out of while we're here?"

"We've got a conference room you could use," Captain Langley told him. "Let me show you to it and then I'll have all the files for the case brought to you."

Agent Hotchner thanked the police captain again, as he followed him out of the office and down the corridor to the conference room.

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

Morgan, Gideon, and Hudson had spent most of their afternoon discussing victimology, trying to discover what linked their victims together. What was it about these people that had made their UnSub target them?

Now the sunlight was fading fast outside the room's window and the three of them were sitting in front of the laptop. Two windows were open on the screen, one showing Hotch in the conference room out in the Nevada police station and the other Nichols from Quantico. This was the first time that the entire team had been able to discuss the case at the same time.

"James Madison was a police officer for the LVMPD," Hotch informed the rest of his team as he talked to them via a web cam. "In fact, he was the lead investigator on the Lake Meade area murders."

"Well that sure doesn't sound like a coincidence," Morgan commented from his seat on Gideon's left. "Killings with the same MO as the previous murders are taking place and the lead investigator back then ends up murdered."

"No, it doesn't sound like a coincidence, though I'm wondering if our UnSub knew Madison would be coming to Charleston or if he just took advantage of the opportunity available to him," Gideon commented.

"Captain Langley said that Madison took vacation in Charleston every year as his wife's parents live in the city."

"So the UnSub could have known that Madison would eventually make an appearance down here eventually," Gideon said.

"Why wait three years to kill him though?" Hudson asked.

The three agents in Charleston saw Hotch glance to his right on the screen. They knew Reid was in the room with Hotch, but the younger agent had for the most part stayed off the screen. It was Hotch who spoke up.

"Reid had suggested that the UnSub may have gotten arrested on an unrelated job back when the first killings started. If he has been in jail, these three past years, it would explain the break between the first set of murders and the ones occurring now."

"Right," Nichols said, speaking up. "I looked into that. I came up with a list of twelve names, of men who were arrested around the time that the fifth body was found in Nevada and have been released in the last month. Another eight were paroled, but as leaving the state is a parole violation and all eight have checked in and are not in violation of their parole, I think we can eliminate them."

"How about sending us those names?" Gideon told agent Nichols. "Also see if you can find out current whereabouts of them. It'll be a place to start."

"Already started on that, Boss. Also, I've got some more information on your first two victims. Chad Anderson moved to South Carolina to attend law school. He graduated three years ago and married a local girl. They both resided in Charleston ever since. Lucy Ling moved from Vegas five months after the fifth body was found in the Lake Meade area. Coincidently, that fifth body was of Marsha Ling, a Vegas prostitute and mother of Lucy Ling."

"So, we've now connected two of our victims back to the original murders," Morgan commented. "The bodies are cut up and placed into containers. Coolers back then and suitcases now. Definitely sounds like the same UnSub to me."

Hotch nodded his agreement. "Reid and I will be meeting with Madison's partner shortly. Hopefully, he can give us some insight to the case that we can't get from the reports. I also want to have him take us out to the dump site out here."

"Okay. Anderson's widow has agreed to meet with us," Gideon said. "Hudson and Morgan are going to go talk to her in the morning. I'm hoping to find this guy before any more bodies turn up."


	8. Finding a Suspect

_**Nevada:**_

"All the bodies were found here?" Agent Hotchner asked Officer Kyle Jensen. Hotch, Jensen and Reid were standing at the mouth of the Muddy River, where it emptied into Lake Mead.

"The first two were found here," Jensen told him before he turned to face upriver. "After the second body was found, they started showing up at different spots along the river bank. All the bodies were cut up the same exact way and put into the coolers in exactly the same order. Then the coolers were just left sitting out in the open, like someone out for a picnic had just accidently left them behind." The metro police officer looked back at Agent Hotchner. "I haven't been able to go on a picnic ever since."

"He wanted the coolers found. Wanted the bodies found so people would know what he did," Hotch commented, thinking out loud.

"He didn't care who found the bodies either," Jensen said. "This area is used by all kinds of different people. My family used to take trips out here on the weekend when I was growing up. Third body was found by a couple of teenagers out for a hike. The poor girl was so traumatized, that even after her parents got her help, she still dropped out of high school. Often wondered what happened to her."

"So, the UnSub is mirroring the disposal site as best as he can in his new environment. The first two bodies were found in the same spot along the river," Reid commented. "When he felt it wasn't safe there, he moved to another site along the river. If he continues, chances are he'll pick another spot along the river."

"So you guys really think it's the same guy in Charleston who killed these people here three years ago?" Officer Jensen asked, looking at Hotch.

"Given that at least two of the new murders can be linked back to this case, yes we do," Hotch told him.

"I can't believe Madison is gone. He taught me a lot," Jensen commented.

"I'm sorry about your loss. Losing a co-worker is never easy. When it's someone you've worked closely with it's even harder," Hotch told the officer sympathetically, getting the feeling that this was the first time the young cop had ever had to deal with the death of a colleague in his short career.

Jensen nodded. "What else can I do for you?" the officer asked, wanting to move the conversation away from the topic of his former training officer.

"Do you think you could figure out the spots where the other bodies were found? I'd like to see the areas if possible."

Jensen shifted his gaze from the FBI Agent standing in front of him to the direction the river flowed from. It had been three years since the case, but some details of it seemed as clear as if they had just happened yesterday. Madison had always told him that was because it was the first bad case he had been on. _~Hell, I had only been in the field for a week before the first body was found, ~_ Jensen reminded himself.

"Yeah, I think I can find the vicinity where the other bodies were found," Jensen replied. Without another word, the metro police officer started walking upriver, the two FBI agents following him.

"Is there anything you can tell us about the case that might not have gotten into the reports?" Hotch asked, as he caught up with the other detective and fell into a step with him.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean?"

"Any public reaction that took place, which didn't have a place in the official reports? Hunches that officers involved in the case had that couldn't be supported with evidence?" Hotch suggested.

Jensen thought about the questions, trying to think of anything that might prove helpful. He wanted this guy caught, not only to bring closure to the deaths that had happened three years ago but so there would be justice for his fallen mentor. "I can't think of anything," Jensen replied slowly with a shake of his head as they continued to walk. He glanced around the terrain, looking for clues that would tell him where the bodies had been found.

"What about suspects?" Reid asked from his position behind the other two men. "Was there anyone that was suspected that you didn't have enough evidence to link to the crime?"

Jensen thought that one over. "Come to think of it, Madison did have his eye on one guy," he commented. "Local kid, only been out of high school a couple of years at the time. Never held a job for more than a couple of months at a time. Madison, and several other officers on the force, had picked him up for minor things over the years," Jensen paused, trying to remember the guy's name. "Jake Marley was his name."

"What made Madison suspect him?"

"He said the kid was showing too much interest in the case. Jake kept popping up at the crime scenes and watching the investigation that was going on. Asked questions when he could. We never could really get him on anything though, as this area," Jensen said, waving a hand around the environment they were walking through, " is a public area. Other people lingered around, watching just not the same people every time."

"Did you ever question Marley about his whereabouts at the time of the disappearances?"

"We did actually, unofficially of course. Around the time we saw him hanging around the fourth crime scene. Jake didn't miss a beat. Told us where he was in each instance. I remember Madison commenting that it was almost as if he was waiting for us to ask."

"Were you able to verify his alibis?" Hotch asked.

Jensen nodded as he slowed to a stop. "All but one," he replied. He then pointed to a large rock that was sitting along the river bank. "This is where the third body was found. The cooler was sitting right by that rock."

As Hotch walked around the area studying the terrain surrounding him, Reid chose to keep on the line of getting information about Marley.

"What alibi weren't you able to verify?" Reid asked, bringing the metro officer's attention away from Hotch and onto the younger FBI agent.

Jensen pulled his gaze away from watching Hotch and looked at Reid. It took him a moment to get back to the line of conversation they had been talking about.

"His alibi for the time surrounding the disappearance of the second victim. Jake claimed he had gone to visit his stepbrother who was in law school at the time. Madison contacted the brother who said he hadn't seen his stepbrother since he had left for school and had no intentions of seeing him any time soon."

"They didn't get along?"

"Jake wasn't exactly on good terms with his stepfather or his brother. Jake and Chad had already been born before the two boys' parents got married, from previous marriages. Jake's mother was killed in a car accident and Mr. Anderson kept custody of his stepson as there wasn't anyone else to take him in. As I mentioned before though, Jake had a tendency for getting into trouble, something that his stepfather a prominent business man in the area, didn't care for. Chad was very popular in high school, and I guess was embarrassed by his stepbrothers antics. Never wanted much to do with him."

Reid was only half-listening to Jensen by this time. His mind was already putting facts together. First, there was the fact that Jake's half-brother was Chad Anderson, which was the same name of the first victim in Charleston. The victim had been a lawyer, which was a huge coincidence if the two weren't the same person. If the victim in Charleston was Marley's stepbrother, they had just linked all the victims back to this original case.

"Hotch," Reid called pausing long enough to make sure he had the older agent's attention. "The first victim in Charleston may have been related to Marley," Reid told him.

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

At five minutes to eight o'clock eastern time, Morgan made his way down to the first floor of the hotel. In the kitchenette area, Gideon and Hudson had already gotten their food and were sitting at a table. The elder agent had a newspaper open in front of him, and Morgan had worked with him long enough to know that Gideon was working on a crossword puzzle even from this distance.

After grabbing some food for himself, Morgan joined his co-workers. Gideon looked up from his crossword puzzle as the dark-skinned agent sat down.

"Hotch called last night. Talking to Madison's partner during the original case revealed that Madison had suspected Jake Marley in the original case though there was nothing to support the suspicions. Marley had a stepbrother, whose name happened to be Chad Anderson. After Reid made the connection of the names, Hotch had Nichols do some research."

"Boy-genius to the rescue again," Hudson muttered.

Morgan kicked him under the table as Gideon continued without pause, as if he hadn't heard Hudson's comment. Given that the two were sitting across the table from one another, Morgan thought that perhaps their supervisor hadn't heard the low comment.

"Nichols found that our first victim and Marley's half-brother are one and the same, which means all of our victims are linked back to the case in Nevada three years ago. Nichols also did some digging on Marley. He was nineteen at the time of the first murders. Juvenile record is filled with accounts of vandalism, petty theft, drug use and animal abuse. Somehow he managed to stay out of a juvenile hall. Having run-ins with the law didn't stop when he turned eighteen either. Traffic tickets, vandalism, and numerous other things. Las Vegas PD had finally picked him up on a possession with intent to traffic charge, conveniently enough two days after the fifth body was discovered, and he was sentenced to three years."

"That was the first time he had done time?" Morgan asked.

"Apparently. He had to have someone keeping him from doing time. Hotch and Reid are going to try and talk to the stepfather today and see what they can find out about family dynamics. Nichols was able to verify that Jake Marley was released two weeks before the first body turned up here in Charleston, but after that he can't find any trace of him."

"So you think this Jake Marley is our UnSub?" Morgan questioned. "You really think that the new guy's . . ."

"Dr. Reid," Gideon inserted, giving his subordinate at a pointed look.

"You think that Dr. Reid's theory about the killings stopping was correct because he was in jail?"

"I think we definitely need to have a talk with him. The guy fits the profile, the first murders ended when he went to jail and started up again after he was released, and the first victim this time was his half-brother. I want the two of you to question Anderson's widow about Jake Marley. See what she can tell you about her husband's relationship with his stepbrother and see if Marley made any attempts to contact him while in jail or after his release," Gideon told them. Hudson and Morgan nodded their acknowledgment of the orders as Gideon continued. "Meanwhile, I'm going to get Marley's picture out to the Charleston PD as well as the local media as a witness we would like to talk to. If he's in the area, someone has probably seen him."

The three agents continued talking about the case while they finished their breakfast. Twenty minutes later all three of them were headed out of the hotel and to the two waiting SUV's.

"Boy-genius is at it again," Hudson commented as he and Morgan climbed into one of the government issued vehicles.

"Just what is your issue with him?" Morgan asked as he put the key of the SUV into the ignition.

"I don't like the idea of some know-it all rookie coming in and acting like he owns the place. Hell, he isn't even officially old enough to be an agent. He's probably had handouts his entire life. I worked hard to get into the BAU, and there are a lot of other seasoned agents who want to be a part of the unit too, and they bring in some wet behind the ears kid, right out of the academy."

"Gideon and Hotch must have had their reasons," Morgan said diplomatically as he pulled the SUV out of the hotel parking out and into the early morning traffic.

"You're actually okay with this?" Hudson asked, incredulously as he turned his head to look at his teammate. "You're willing to risk your life and hope some rookie doesn't make some stupid mistake that is going to put you in danger."

"We were all rookies at one point, Hudson. Now am I going to trust this new guy to have my back like I do you or Hotch or Gideon. Not a chance. However, I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove himself. We haven't even met the guy yet."

"And then there's Gideon, throwing the guy's title in our faces. What's with that?"

"I'm sure Gideon has his reasons for it," Morgan said, thinking about the unit chief's correction back at the hotel. ~_Though I wonder if Gideon would have said something if I had used the title agent or even just used Reid's name, _~ Morgan thought, wondering if Gideon's correction had been nothing more than a warning to give their new teammate the respect they would any other member of the team or the bureau for that matter.

"Yeah, and more than likely it's because the guy insists on his title being used," Hudson commented.

"So what if it is? If I had put the time and effort into getting a doctorate degree, I'd probably want that recognition, too."

Hudson didn't reply to his teammate's last comment and Morgan decided to let the subject drop. Despite having just recently joined the team himself, Hudson seemed determined not to like their new teammate. As for himself, Morgan was willing to give the guy a chance. To not judge him before he had even met him.

"Turn right at the next light," was the next thing that Hudson said, as he had a map and the directions to Mrs. Anderson's home in front of him.

_**Las Vegas, Nevada:**_

"Do you think he was telling us the truth that he hasn't talked to Jake in the past three years?" Reid asked as he followed his training agent toward the exit of the building where Mr. Frank Anderson worked.

Frank Anderson had been more than willing to talk to the FBI agents and had answered all their questions. He had talked about his relationship with his stepson, about how he had kept Jake after the death of his second wife out of the love he had for her. That he had been more than willing to provide her son with the same opportunities as his own son, but that Jake hadn't seemed to appreciate those efforts. It was through his own brother's effort, a Las Vegas judge, that Jake avoided jail time for as long as he had. Eventually we just couldn't keep bailing him out of trouble. It wasn't doing Jake any good, Frank Anderson had admitted. Frank had also told them that the last time he had talked to Jake was the day he had been sentenced and that he hadn't even known Jake had been released until they had told him. Jake told me he wanted nothing to do with me in the court room that day, and that was the last time I spoke with him, Anderson had told them.

"Yes, I do," Hotch replied. "I didn't get the sense that he was trying to cover anything up." Reid nodded. "Although this visit did give us some insight on Jake Marley it didn't get us any closer to finding out where he might have gone after he was released from jail."

"So where do we go from here?" Reid questioned, as they stepped out of the air-conditioned building and into the warm Las Vegas day.

"Hope that Jensen has some luck getting information from the people Marley used to hang with, though I think his friends will be a little more inclined to protect him than his stepfather is," Hotch replied. "Meanwhile, we need to look into the lives of the other victims from the first set of murders. The UnSub seems to be targeting people who had a connection with the previous murders. If we can determine potential targets, we might be able to get ahead of him."

Reid nodded again, as the two agents approached their SUV. They got into the vehicle and Hotch headed for the Area 87 police station. Not much was said on the drive to the station though both agents were thinking about the case and replaying the facts that they did know.

At the station, Hotch inquired if Jensen had returned yet. He was informed that the LVMP officer hadn't returned to the station yet, or left any messages for Hotch. His last check-in had him at a local restaurant checking in with a former girlfriend of Marley's.

The two FBI agents headed for the small conference room Captain Langley had set aside for their use while they were there. Both the boxes containing the files from the five murders, three years ago were sitting on the table in the room. Entering the room, Hotch walked over to one of the boxes, he removed a stack of files and handed them to Reid. The young agent took the files and found a place at the table. As Hotch removed the rest of the files from the box, he paused as he watched Reid going through the files. Though he knew the kid had a reading speed of 20,000 words per minute, he had never actually seen that in practice.

As if he felt eyes on him, Agent Reid looked up from the file to see his training agent watching him. "Did I do something wrong?" Reid asked self-consciously.

"No. You're fine," Hotch replied, a bit embarrassed that he had gotten caught staring. Files in hand, he moved toward another empty chair and settled at the table himself, as Reid went back to the file in his hand.

When Officer Jensen walked into the room two hours later, Nichols was conferencing with the two agents via a web cam. The white board in the room was filled with names of people with a known connection to the case. Some of the names had locations listed beside them, Nichols having been able to track the current locations of the people, as well as having eliminated some that had died or were behind bars and therefore relatively safe. The first thing that the LVMP officer noticed was that his name was up on the white board.

"What's that?" Jensen asked with a wave toward the board.

"A list of potential targets given that our UnSub appears to be targeting people with a connection to the original murders," Reid replied, without looking from the map of the United States that was currently tacked to the bulletin board he was standing in front of. So far, no other names they had come up with were associated with the Charleston area, with the exception of Chad Anderson's widow. Reid was plotting the other locations on the map to lay out the location of whom they believed to be potential targets.

"You think this guy might come after me?" Jensen asked, sounded a bit nervous at the prospect.

Realizing the blunder he had just made, Reid looked at the officer with a guilty expression on his face. He hadn't meant to alarm him.

Not missing a beat, Hotch spoke up. "We can't dismiss the possibility. Officer Madison and his family were apparently targets because he was the lead officer on the original investigation. You were his partner at the time, so the UnSub might see you as a threat."

"Wonderful," Jensen muttered, as he digested the information. He suddenly had an even bigger reason to find this guy then just to avenge his partner's death. It was now a case of self preservation. "None of his old contacts were willing to give up any information on him. If he did make contact after his release, they're keeping quiet. So what do we do now?"

"There isn't much we can do until we get some kind of indication as to where he might strike next," Hotch said. "As our last victim was in Charleston, he could still be in the area. Especially as Maria Anderson, Chad Anderson's widow, is still there."

"What makes you think she's a target?" Jensen asked.

"The UnSub didn't just kill Madison; he took out his entire family. Chances are he'll take out Chad Anderson's widow before moving out of the area."

"Which means we need to find him before that happens as there is no telling where he might go next," Hotch added.

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

"Jake showed up at our house two days before Chad went missing," Maria Anderson replied, when Agent Morgan asked her if she had seen her brother-in-law since he had gotten out of jail. "Wanted to stay here for a few days. Chad told him no, though he did give Jake some money. Do you think he had anything to do with Chad's death?" the still grieving widow asked.

"We don't know for sure, ma'am," Morgan replied as Hudson got up from the chair he

had been sitting in. "Did Jake make any threats while he was here?" the agent asked, even as he watched his teammate cross the living room to the front window. Standing at the side of the window, Hudson lifted the curtain back slightly and looked out the window.

"Not that I remember," Maria replied, also watching Hudson.

"How did he seem?"

"Excuse me?" the widow asked, looking from Hudson to Morgan.

"Did he seem angry when he was here? Agitated?"

"Jake seemed desperate when he first got here. He was pleading for Chad to help him out. By the time he left, I guess he seemed a little angry," Maria answered, She looked back to Hudson. "Is there something going on out there?"

"I've seen the same car go past this window three times since we've been here, always slowing down as he goes past the house."

"Do you think I'm in danger?" Maria asked, slightly panicked.

"We won't let anything happen to you, ma'am," Morgan told her in as calm and reassuring voice as he could manage. "Just stay where you are," he told her as he got to his feet and crossed the room to stand on the other side of the window.

The two FBI agents stood quietly at the window, watching the few people who walked past the house as well as the passing cars. Every so often, Morgan would cast a glance at Maria Anderson. The petite woman was as white as a ghost and looked to be close to tears. Morgan couldn't blame her. She had just recently suffered the lost of her husband and was now in fear for her own life. Morgan knew that even if this car proved to be nothing that he wasn't going to be able to leave her alone in her house in good conscience.

They had been standing there for about five minutes when Hudson spoke up.

"There it is again. The dark-green four-door," Hudson said, as the car moved slowly past the house. He tried to read the license plate number from where he was, and was just able to make it out. Hudson read it out loud, committing it to memory.

As the dark-green car disappeared again, Morgan took out his cell phone and placed a call to Agent Nichols.

"Nichols. What can I do for you?" came the agent's voice, as Morgan switched the device to speaker phone so that Hudson could hear the conversation too.

"Hey Nichols, I'm at the Anderson home with Hudson. We've got a dark-green four-door that keeps passing the house that we want you to run the plate for."

"Got it. Fire away," Nichols replied.

Hudson gave his teammate the license plate number of the car. There was a moment of silence as Nichols put the information into his computer to get the information and then their teammate's voice came over the phone once again.

"The plate is coming back as belonging to a car owned by Ace Rental Company located there in Charleston. The company has the car as having been rented out four days ago by, and talk about a name that screams fake, an Ebenezer Scrooge."

"And I bet his ghost pal Jacob Marley is behind the wheel of that car," Hudson commented.

Morgan nodded as he looked at his teammate. "Nichols, is there an address listed for the rental?"

"Yes, but it won't do us any good. You're already at the listed address." Morgan muttered something unintelligible under his breath. "Payment method was cash, so that isn't going to help us either. Our best bet is to try to get a tail on that car and make it appear as though you two have left the house."

"You can't leave me here alone," Maria said, getting to her feet, a hysterical quality to her voice.

"Relax, ma'am, we won't," Morgan told her. "Nichols can you include Gideon in on this call?"

"I know we tell kids that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but that my friend was a stupid question," Nichols replied, followed almost immediately by another voice chiming in on the line.

"Gideon, here. What's going on?"

The three agents started bringing the BAU unit chief up to speed on the current situation. They needed to come up with a plan and they needed to do so quickly. This could be their one shot to catch Jake Marley.


	9. Suspect Caught and a Secret Revealed

_**AN: Thought you all might like a bonus update this week! This won't affect my usual Wednesday update. Thanks to all of you who have put this story on your favorite and alert lists, and especially to those who have taken the time to review. Everyone of them is much appreciated!  
**_

* * *

_**Las Vegas, Nevada:**_

Dr. Spencer Reid was looking at the map with all its data spots. Where would the UnSub go next? Would he continue to go after people connected to the original murders? Would he keep looking for victims in the Charleston area?

Those were among some of the many questions that Hotch, Jensen and Reid had thrown out during their discussion of the case. Very few of the questions had they found answers to yet. The few they had answered hadn't gotten them very far.

Jensen had left the room about ten minutes ago, saying he needed some air and some coffee. It wasn't long after the Las Vegas officer had left that Hotch's phone had rang. As Reid had been still plotting points at that time, Hotch had left the room to take the call. Hearing the door open, Reid turned from the map, wondering which man was coming back.

Hotch walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Making eye contact with Reid, the senior agent started talking. "That was Gideon. Someone is showing an interest in the Anderson house. They think it may be Marley, but whoever it is, they're ready to carry out a plan to bring the guy in. If it is Marley, we may be nearing the end of this case."

"That's good because there is no telling where this guy might go next. He could go for the person closest to Charleston or make his way back to the Las Vegas area. That's assuming, of course, that he keeps to the pattern of going after people related to the original case," Reid replied, having pointed to different spots on the map as he was talking.

"I know. There are just so many possibilities in this case," Hotch said. He paused, looking at the bulletin board that contained not only the United States map, but also the pictures of the victims of the original unsolved murders. "Maybe at this point we should go back to the original victims and look at victimology. It might help us understand the UnSub better and provide them with something they can use if they can bring Marley in."

Reid nodded, more than willing to follow his supervisor's lead. It wasn't like he had any other ideas. Nor could they really do much else to help with the case at this point, as they were across the country from the rest of the team.

Turning from the bulletin board, Reid sat down in the closest chair. Hotch sat down in the chair nearby, and opened one of the files. The two profilers had just gotten started when Jensen came into the room. He had three cups of coffee from a local coffee shop in a carrier. The metro officer placed the carrier in the center of the table and removed one of the cups.

"This stuff is much better than the station's coffee," Jensen said. "Both of those are black. Wasn't sure how either of you liked your coffee, so I figured to play it safe and just bring some sugar and cream with me," indicating the fourth spot in the carrier which was stuffed with creamers and packets of sugar.

"Thanks," both FBI agents said, reaching for the cups of coffee, as Jensen walked around the table and took a seat across from Hotch. As they mixed in creamer and sugar to their liking, Jensen addressed the lead profiler.

"Is there anything I can do to make myself useful?"

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

Morgan and Hudson had persuaded Maria Anderson to go upstairs and wait in the back bedroom of the house. If things got out of hand, they wanted the young widow out of harm's way. After accomplishing that, there wasn't much left for them to do but wait until they received word that Gideon and the Charleston police officers were in position. Not wanting to tip Jake Marley off, plainclothes officers were being used as well as unmarked cars.

The two FBI agents were still positioned on either side of the window, waiting for the green car to make another appearance. They didn't know if the driver of the car knew how many agents were in the house or not, so they wanted to time Hudson's departure for just after the green car was out of sight of the house. Morgan would stay behind to keep an eye on things and protect Maria Anderson, if necessary. However, they also needed to give Gideon and the others time to get into place. If it was indeed Marley keeping watch on the house, they had a feeling that once he saw that the black SUV with government plates was no longer in the driveway, then he would make an attempt to enter the house. They planned on having two unmarked units, with two officers each within sight of the house, ready to provide back-up, in that eventuality. Gideon and the lead investigator on the case were planning on tailing the green rental, just in case the driver didn't make an attempt to enter the house.

"Man, I hate waiting," Morgan commented, leaning one shoulder against the wall, near the window they were watching out of.

"Well, at least you might actually get to see some action," Hudson replied, his voice revealing none of the impatience that Morgan was showing. "I've got to drive the SUV away and then stay out of sight until this is over with."

"Well you shouldn't have picked tails," Morgan replied, referring to the coin toss that Hudson had lost, that had decided who would stay at the house.

"You always seem to win. What do you have a two-sided coin?"

"I showed you the coin and I offered to let you flip it this time. I can't help it if I'm just lucky."

"Yeah, well we'll see if that luck holds during the poker game on our flight back to Quantico," Hudson told him.

"Bring it on," Morgan replied. Out the window, he spotted their target coming back down the street. "Here it comes," he said out loud.

Across the window from him, Hudson hit the button to stop the time on his watch. "Seven minutes and twenty-four seconds that time. It seems to take him about seven and a half minutes to make whatever route he's taking to get back to the house."

"Doesn't leave us much time to get everyone into position," Morgan commented as he called Gideon to give him the newest information.

On the second pass, after that call, the law enforcement personnel were ready to set things up. As the green sedan moved out of sight of the window, they saw a white two door car pull into the street and follow it. Knowing that Gideon was now trailing the rental car, Hudson moved toward the front door of the house.

"Be careful," Hudson told his teammate, as he opened the front door.

"I will," Morgan replied.

Hudson left the house, and Morgan watched him head toward the SUV from the window. As casually as possible, Hudson climbed into the vehicle and pulled it out of the Anderson's driveway. Turning the opposite direction that the green car had gone, Hudson left the area, giving the impression that the FBI had left the scene.

Alone in the house now, except for the woman hiding upstairs, Morgan kept watch out the window, the fingers of his right hand impatiently drumming on the outside of his thigh. Somewhere in view of the house, Morgan knew that two unmarked cars had officers sitting in them, waiting, just as he was doing. He had a feeling the car parked in the driveway now, two houses down, was one of those units, as he hadn't seen anyone get out of the car when it had pulled in. Where the other unit was, he wasn't sure though everyone involved had radioed that they were in position.

The minutes seemed to drag by. Without Hudson in the room to talk to, waiting was even more difficult. Morgan lost count of the number of times he checked his watch, trying to figure out when the car would make its next appearance. Morgan let his hand drift to the gun, in the holster at his hip, reassuring himself that it was there should he need it. Eventually, the green car made another slow trip by the house, not stopping as it continued on its way.

~_Now we get to see what this guy is going to do_, ~ Morgan thought, as he continued watching out the window.

He didn't have long to wait, as Morgan soon saw the green car approaching the driveway from the direction it had disappeared in. As the car pulled into the driveway, Morgan finally moved away from the window and headed for the front door, taking up a new position by the window next to the door. From his new vantage point, Morgan could see the person behind the wheel, moving in the car, though he wasn't quite sure what he was doing.

It wasn't long before the driver was getting out of the car. The guy was dressed in old black work boots, jeans with a hole ripped in the left knee, and a green jacket that had clearly seen better days. On his head, a baseball cap bearing the logo of the Denver Broncos was pulled down low over his eyes, shielding most of his face from view. Morgan watched him carefully as he headed up the walkway toward the house. As the guy's left foot stepped onto the first step of the porch, Morgan turned from the window so that he was facing the door, prepared to take the guy on if he tried to force his way into the house.

The knock on the door startled Morgan just a bit. He hadn't expected the guy to even attempt a normal entry.

~_I suppose he figures if Maria answers the door, then it would attract less attention_, ~ Morgan thought, as he listened closely from his position next to the door, trying to figure out what the guy was doing from the sounds drifting through the closed door.

The doorbell rang next, and Morgan's eye went immediately to the steps, willing Maria Anderson not to venture down them. He and Hudson had tried to convey to her how important it was that she stayed upstairs until one of them came to get her, no matter what she heard going on downstairs. The best way they could keep her safe at this point was to keep her out of sight. Out of harms way.

Morgan watched for a few moments, feeling a sense of relief when he didn't see any movement at the top of the stairs. Maria Anderson was listening to them. Whether that was because she had the sense to listen to them or was too scared to venture from the room they had left her in, Morgan wasn't sure, nor did he really care at this point. The sound at the front door made him look away from the landing. He couldn't be exactly sure what the guy was doing, but he was definitely trying to force his way into the house. From the sounds he was hearing, Morgan was willing to bet that the guy was trying to pick the lock.

As he was already on the side of the door that he wouldn't be blocked by the door when it opened, Morgan slowly drew his gun from the holster. Holding it pointed to floor, he waited for the door to open. He wasn't sure if this guy was armed or not, but he wasn't going to be caught unprepared.

It wasn't long before the door came open. The guy in the green jacket made his way into the house, clearly not expecting anyone to be waiting for him. It gave Morgan the advantage, and as soon as the guy had taken a few steps into the house, Morgan quickly took a step sideways to block the guy's exit, pointing his gun at the guy's back.

"FBI," Morgan said. "Don't move and put your hands up."

The guy in the green jacket stood where he was, not even raising his hands. Behind him, Morgan could hear the sounds of running footsteps, and knew his back-up was closing in.

"Don't try anything stupid," Morgan told the guy, feeling uneasy at how calm this guy was. He couldn't shake the feeling that the guy was going to try something. At the same time, the last thing Morgan wanted to do was shoot the guy. They needed a break in this case, and the man standing before him could be the only one able to provide that break. "Put your hands . . ."

Morgan never finished the last order, as the guy in front of him suddenly turned quickly, like a rattler striking, his forearm making contact with the hand that Morgan was holding the gun with. Quickly getting over his surprise, Morgan let his gun drop and rushed the guy instead. His momentum carried them both a few more steps into the house before the guy lost his footing. Feet going out from under him, the intruder went down, Morgan on top of him. With a thud the man's head hit the floor. Morgan took advantage of the dazed, though still concious, condition of the guy, and quickly turned him onto his stomach. Pinning the intruder's hands behind the guy's back, Morgan reached behind him and grabbed his cuffs. In seconds, he had the suspect's hands cuffed behind him and was dragging him to his feet.

"Man, I think you gave me a concussion," the guy finally said. The hat having come off in the struggle, Morgan was able to recognize the guy from the mug shot that Nichols had sent them. The intruder was indeed Jacob Marley.

"You're lucky that's all I gave you," Morgan told him, turning him over to a nearby Charleston police officer. "Read him his rights, and then we'll probably want to let paramedics take a look at him. His head did make contact with the ground kind of hard."

"Got it," the officer said.

"Morgan, you okay?" Gideon asked, having joined the group. He had retrieved the other agent's gun and was holding it out him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Morgan replied, taking the gun from the unit chief and placing it in its holster.

"Good work. Now let's see if we can get some answers."

Morgan nodded, turning toward the steps. He was about to go upstairs to tell Maria Anderson that everything was okay, when he saw the woman now standing at the top of the stairs.

"It's okay, ma'am. You can come down now. We've got the guy in custody," Morgan told her, beckoning her down with one hand.

Slowly, Maria Anderson came down the steps. As she reached the bottom, her eyes fell on the figure of her husband's stepbrother, fear and repulsion flooding through her at the same time. The local police had Marley sitting on the couch in the living room now as they waited for the paramedics to arrive on the scene.

The widow walked toward him slowly. "I can't believe it was you," she said slowly, her voice laced with anger. "I felt sorry for you. Even tried to convince Chad to let you stay with us for a little while, until you were able to get back on your feet and then you go and kill him."

To his credit, Marley didn't say anything, or even blink as he listened to his stepbrother's widow's accusations. Not even when Maria, who was now standing only about a foot away from him, spit into his face.

Grabbing the woman's arm, Morgan tried to ease her away from Marley.

"Ma'am, come with me please," the FBI agent said softly.

Maria resisted him at first and then finally, turning her back, let herself be lead away, toward the kitchen.

"What a crazy lady," Marley said, lightly, looking around at the law enforcement personnel that stood around him. None of the police officers showed any reaction to what had just taken place.

"Ma'am, do you think you can answer a few more questions for us?" Gideon asked, as Morgan led Maria to the closest chair of those placed around the kitchen table.

"I think so," she said. "Could I get a glass of water first?" she said, moving to stand up.

"I'll get it for you," Morgan offered, gesturing for Maria Anderson to stay where she was. "Where are the glasses?"

Maria pointed to the cabinet as Gideon sat down at the table next to the widow. He had a feeling they were right at the end of this case, but he had a sudden desire to not only wrap up the murders here in Charleston but finally give closure to those that had happened back in Nevada. Getting an insight on Jake Marley, an insight that Maria might be able to provide, could be the key to linking him to the original five murders.

_**Las Vegas, Nevada:**_

"Good work, guys," Gideon said over the webcam link that had been established. Hotch and Reid had just finished relaying, to their three teammates in South Carolina, their findings on the analysis of the original murders. "If Marley's responsible for those deaths, this information should be enough to get him to trip up and incriminate himself. At this point, that's really the only chance we have with connecting him for sure."

"What about the new murders?" Hotch asked.

"Well, we've definitely have him for breaking and entering at the Anderson house. He also had a gun and a knife on him at the time of his arrest. He definitely wasn't going to see Maria Anderson for a social call. We've been letting him sit and sweat for the last couple of hours. I think he's about ready to talk. Hudson is about to go have a go at him."

"Well, good luck," Hotch replied. "Anything else you need us to do?"

"No. I think you can call it a wrap out there. Assure Captain Langley that we'll keep him informed of what's going on. If it turns out Marley isn't the UnSub from the original murders, which I don't see happening, either we or the Las Vegas field office can assist in a further investigation, if that's what they want."

"Understood. I'll contact Quantico and have them send the jet out here for us. Keep me updated on how things are going down there."

"Will do," Gideon replied, before breaking the internet link.

"So that's it? You're done here?" Jensen, who had been standing near the door to the room throughout the conversation, asked. "What if Marley doesn't turn out to be the original killer? What if he's just a copy cat, using the details of the original case to carry out his own agenda?"

"If that's the case, our agents will discover that while interviewing him," Hotch replied calmly, completely understanding the frustration the other man was feeling. He had just lost his former partner, and the FBI agent knew that in Anderson's place, he would want definite answers too.

"And if they do discover that, what about the original case? You guys come in here, open an investigation that has been closed for more than two years, and then leave before we even know if it has been solved or not."

"As Agent Gideon said, if Marley doesn't turn out to be connected to the original murders, and your department decides to continue looking into them, the bureau's resources will be at your disposal," Hotch said, refraining from adding the fact that the bureau had offered their assistance during the original investigation.

Jensen nodded. The look on his face clearly said he wasn't happy about it, but he was starting to see that arguing with the federal agent wasn't going to help anything, and could possibly get him into trouble.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go talk to your captain," Hotch told the metro officer, before he headed for the door that Jensen was still standing next to. "Reid, why don't you start packing things up in here?"

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, finally getting to his feet, having chosen to stay out of the discussion between his superior and the metro officer.

Officer Jensen watched as Hotch walked out the door and down the corridor to Langley's office. As he watched the dark jacket of the senior agent move out of sight, Jensen's gaze shifted to the other agent. Jensen watched silently at first as Reid began to remove things from the bulletin board.

"You're okay with this? Just walking away without knowing if the case is solved?" Jensen finally asked.

As Reid took a few steps to the table, he answered the officer's question. "It's not really my place to question when we're through with the case. That's Agent Gideon's decision to make," he replied, as he placed things in one of the boxes.

"Three years ago, our superiors put an end to the investigation. Said we weren't making any progress and as no other bodies were turning up, they said they couldn't justify the cost. Easy decision for them really. They weren't out there. Didn't see the bodies. Didn't have to talk with the victims' families. Having to walk away from that case never sat well with Madison. He was never able to completely let it go. Madison always came back to this case and would devote time to it when he could find some free time. I kind of feel like I owe it to him now to make sure that this case gets solved."

"We'll let you know what we find in Charleston," Reid replied, echoing what he had heard his supervisors saying.

Jensen nodded, as Reid continued to remove things from the bulletin board. The metro officer watched the young FBI agent for a few moments.

"You haven't been on the job long yet, have you?" Jensen finally asked.

"It's my first case," Reid admitted.

"I hope you never have to experience what it feels like to have to walk away from a case you've spent months trying to solve, knowing that you let the victims and their families down," Jensen told him, quietly, before turning and walking out of the room.

Reid stopped what he was doing and watched the metro officer turn and head down the corridor in the opposite direction that Agent Hotchner had taken. His eyes followed Jensen as he walked past the windows of the room and out of sight. Jensen's words echoed in his mind. Along with the question if they were doing the right thing? Was there more that they could be doing here?

After a minute or so had passed, Reid went back to his task. He was just about finished when Hotch came back to the room.

Reid put the lid on top of one of the evidence boxes, and with his hands still resting on the lid, addressed his superior. "Are we doing the right thing?"

"We came out here to see what these murders could reveal about our case down in Charleston. Our team members there have caught whom we believe to be the UnSub. Gideon and the others will continue their work down there until they can call the case closed. As for the murders here, if Marley is the killer then we've closed two cases."

"And if he's not? If someone else killed these people here three years ago?"

"Then I hope Captain Langley takes my advice and reopens the investigation, this time drawing on the resources of the Las Vegas field office," Hotch said, causing Reid to look in his direction for the first time since the older agent had reentered the room. "Gideon is right. We've done what we can here. At best we've caught the killer down in the Charleston and the families of all those who died get closure. At worst, they've got new insight into the evidence they already had and hopefully motivation to pursue the case again. There is only so much we can do. At this point, the agents of the field office are just as capable of continuing to aid metro as we are. Our time can be better spent elsewhere. Making that decision isn't always easy, but it's one we've got to deal with."

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, seeing the logic and practicality in his supervisor's voice.

The two agents fell silent as they finished putting things away. It wasn't until the task was complete and they were getting ready to leave that one of them spoke up again.

"You know, Reid, we've got a few hours until the jet will be here to pick us up, maybe you would like to pay your mother a visit," Hotch suggested, as the two of them walked out to the SUV.

Reid crossed his arms across himself and looked down at the ground. "I don't think that is such a good idea."

"Why not? You said she lived in Vegas still. She hasn't seen you since you came out east for the academy. I'm sure she would appreciate the visit."

"It's just not that easy," Reid replied, hoping his supervisor would drop the subject.

As he approached the driver's side of the vehicle, Hotch looked across the hood at the younger agent. He could see how uncomfortable Reid was. Had noticed it at the graduation ceremony when Haley had brought up Reid's mother. Part of him knew he should just let the subject drop. Another part of him didn't want to. Hotch hadn't questioned the younger agent too much the other day when Reid had made a request of him while filling out the paperwork. Now he was starting to wonder if he should have.

Reaching out, he pulled the door open and got behind the wheel. Reid climbed into the passenger side, placing his messenger bag on the floor at his feet. Instead of putting the key into the ignition, Hotch looked over at the younger agent.

"Perhaps I should have asked this the other day when you asked me to not only sign the emergency contact forms for the bureau but also the medical power of attorney. I didn't because I figured whatever your reasons for asking me to do so, weren't important. That not knowing wouldn't affect any decision I may have to make. I'm starting to think that might not be so."

"It's complicated," Reid replied, looking out the windshield of the vehicle, his arms still crossed in front of him.

"We've got the time," Hotch replied, still watching the younger agent. When Reid didn't reply, Hotch continued. "You trusted me enough to ask me to make medical decisions for you if you're unable to, I would hope you would trust me enough to let me know whatever this is about."

"If I don't tell you, are you going to change your mind about the other thing?" Reid asked.

"No, I wouldn't do that," Hotch told him. "However, don't you think it might be better if I knew a bit more about the relationship you have with your mother, if the situation ever arose that I had to tell her that something has happened to you."

Reid took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "My mom is at Bennington Sanitarium," he said, turning his head to gaze out the passenger side window, unable to make eye contact with his supervisor right then. Reid knew he had to explain to his supervisor why she was there, but he couldn't make himself look at the older man as he did so. Taking another deep breath, Reid began to explain the situation to Hotch, hoping that what he said here would be kept between the two of them.


	10. Interrogation

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

SSA Derek Morgan walked up to stand beside Agent Gideon, holding out one of the cups of coffee he was carrying. "How's it going?"

"About the same," Gideon replied, taking the proffered cup, his eyes not leaving the scene that was unfolding in the interrogation room beyond the one-way glass. "Marley isn't admitting to anything. Though the fact that he hated his stepbrother comes across quite clearly," he added, before taking a sip of the coffee.

"What if we don't get him to break?" Morgan asked. "We really don't have anything to link him to the murders, as no fingerprints or DNA evidence was left behind. Nobody has come forward about seeing anyone by the Cooper River carrying a suitcase. In fact, the only physical evidence that was left behind in those murders was the bullet found in Lucy Ling's corpse. It takes a smart and vigilant person to pull that off. A person like that isn't going to be so easy to trip up in an interrogation."

"No one ever said our job was easy, but that one bullet shows that he made a mistake once. The other victims all have gunshot wounds on them, but no bullet was found. Somehow, the UnSub missed removing that one. He made a mistake once and given time, he'll make another one," Gideon replied. "We've got seventy-two hours before we need to make any charges and even then we've got breaking and entering, even if he hasn't said why he was paying Maria Anderson a visit, though the knife and gun found on him indicate it wasn't a simple social call. There are three of us and one of him. We keep him awake long enough and he'll start slipping up."

Morgan nodded, knowing the older agent had a point but still feeling impatient. He wanted this case wrapped up. Wanted closure for the survivors of the people who had died. For Maria Anderson. It wouldn't bring the victims back, but hopefully knowing that the killer was behind bars would allow the young widow and the others to move on with their lives.

The two profilers fell silent as they continued to watch the interrogation that was unfolding in front of him. Hudson was calmly sitting across the table from Jake Marley. With his back to the one-way glass, his two co-workers couldn't see his face but from the relaxed way he was sitting in the chair, they had a feeling Hudson wasn't showing much emotion to the suspect right about now. Hudson's voice was also calm as he talked with Marley, almost as if he was having a conversation with an old friend. Both Morgan and Gideon could tell that Hudson was trying to build a rapport with Marley. To try and get the suspect to feel at ease with him and with any luck reveal something that would incriminate himself.

"You're as bad as those cops back in Nevada," Marley said, leaning against the back of the chair, clearly trying to get as comfortable as he could with his one wrist handcuffed to the metal table. "Just because I happen to be in the area, you want to blame me for the murders."

"So, it's just a coincidence that the murders happened during the same time frame as you were in the area, both back when you were living in Nevada and then when you got out of jail and came to Charleston?"

"If that's what you want to call it, then I guess so," Marley replied.

"Why did you come to Charleston again?" Hudson asked, voicing the question as if he had forgotten.

"I needed help getting back on my feet. I thought Chad would help me."

"Why would you think that? I thought you said the two of you were never close."

"We weren't. Chad was my last option."

"What about your stepfather?"

"I went to see him the first day I got out of jail. He told me he wasn't going to help me," Marley replied.

Outside the interrogation room, Gideon spoke quietly to his teammate. "And there is the first thing Marley has said so far that we can verify as a lie," he commented, as Hotch and Reid's visit with Frank Anderson had revealed to them that Marley had made no attempt to make contact with his stepfather if Frank Anderson's statement could be believed. Hotch had said he felt as if Frank Anderson was being up front with him during the interview. Not to mention, he had admitted to pulling strings to keep Jake out of jail on a number of times. Why admit to that and then lie about seeing his stepson after he had done time?

"Funny, your stepfather seemed surprised you were out of jail when we talked to him," Hudson said casually.

Though his facial expression stayed the same, all three profilers saw the color of Marley's face pale slightly at the comment. "You talked to my stepfather?"

"Not me personally, but yeah we've had a conversation with your stepfather. So, you want to try your answer again?"

Marley shrugged. "I just thought I had a better chance at getting help from Chad."

"Even though he was across the country? Where did you get the money to make the trip east?"

"A friend."

"Your friend gave you money to travel across the country but wouldn't help you get back on your feet after getting out of jail?"

Marley didn't have an answer for that.

"I don't think it was help you were coming out East for. I think you had a score to settle with your stepbrother."

"If I had a score to settle with him, then why would I bother asking him for help in the first place. That tramp of a wife of his did tell you about that visit didn't she?"

"Yes, she did. She also said you seemed a little angry when you left. Angry enough to kill maybe?"

"I thought you said I came out here with the intent to kill my stepbrother."

"I'm just trying to cover all the bases here, Jake," Hudson said calmly. "We want to get to the truth don't we?"

"You cops are all the same. You see someone a little down on his luck, someone who might have had a little trouble in their past and as soon as something goes wrong you start pointing your finger in their direction. It's like you don't think a person can change."

Outside the interrogation room, a Charleston police officer stepped up beside Gideon and handed him a piece of paper. Gideon glanced at it, and saw that it was the ballistics report for the gun that had been found on Marley and the bullet fragment left in the Ling's corpse.

"Thank-you," Gideon told the officer, even as he began to look over the report.

Back inside the room, the interrogation continued. "A little trouble?" Hudson said calmly, leaning forward in his chair and reaching for the one folder he had brought into the room with him. Flipping it open on the table in front of him, the agent slowly shuffled through the papers within it and finding the one he was searching for withdrew it from the pile. Reading from the paper, Hudson started reading off the times that Marley had a run in with the law. He paused after reading off about ten instances, and looking up from the paper addressed the suspect. "Sounds to me, someone was giving you plenty of second chances to keep your butt out of jail. Shall I continue?"

"There's no need. I'm quite aware of what I've done in the past, though maybe you would like to read it for whoever is watching this conversation."

"They've got the same information I do," Hudson said, putting the paper back into the folder and then closing the folder. "So, you claim you're turning over a new leaf. Why not start with your stepfather?"

"He's the one who put me in jail. Why would he help?"

Before Hudson could reply, his cell phone rang. Taking it off the clip, Hudson flipped the phone open, knowing it would be Gideon.

"Yeah."

"We got the ballistics report and the bullet found in Ling's corpse matches those in the gun that Marley had on him, when he broke into the Anderson home," Gideon told him.

"Got it," Hudson replied, keeping a neutral face. He replaced the phone on the clip, and leaned back in his chair again. As if the phone call never happened, Hudson replied to the last thing that Marley had said. "If it weren't for the help of somebody, I would say your butt would have been behind bars long before you finally wound up there. Who knows, maybe if that had happened, ten more people would still be alive."

"Then maybe you should be throwing my stepfather in jail with that theory Agent," Marley said, the corners of his mouth turning up in a small smile.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Hudson said. "Let someone else take the blame for your actions?"

"Don't you mean for the actions that you and your head hunting counter parts claim I did? You haven't proved I did anything. Just like that self-righteous cop Madison could never prove any of his charges against me. If you ask me, he got what he had coming to him. Him and his family. I'm surprised someone hadn't killed him a long time ago."

Outside the interrogation room, Morgan looked over at Gideon. "Madison's murder hasn't been released by the newspapers yet. We've got him."

Gideon nodded as he observed how Hudson handled the situation, knowing he was just as aware of the fact Morgan had just pointed out. Though the fact that three more bodies had been found along the Cooper River had been reported, the identities of those victims had not been released to the public. The Charleston police, and Madison's supervisor back in Nevada had been the only ones informed. Gideon could only assume that Captain Langley had notified next of kin by now, but there was no way Marley should have known about the LVMP police officer's death, unless of course, he had been the one to kill him.

"Who's Madison?" Hudson asked idly.

"The Vegas officer who investigated those other murders a few years back. Wanted to pin them on me just because I was among the onlookers when the bodies were found. It was a public park. It's human nature to want to see what is going on. Curiosity isn't a crime, now is it agent?"

"Course not," Hudson replied. "So Madison is dead now?"

"You know he is. You're investigating his murder," Marley replied.

"You're right. I do know," Hudson said, and then allowed a small smile to come to his face. "What I would like to know, is how you knew he was dead?"

"The newspapers. I can read you know."

"Are you sure, because the names of the last victims weren't released to the media yet?" Hudson replied.

What color was left in Marley's face drained completely, as he realized his mistake. Hudson got to his feet, picking the folder up off of the table. It was time to let Marley sit alone in the room for a while and sweat. Not to mention, Hudson wanted a chance to confer with his teammates about what direction they should go from here.

_**Las Vegas, Nevada:**_

Spencer Reid walked slowly toward the front entrance of Bennington Sanitarium. Behind him, Aaron Hotchner followed, having convinced his subordinate to pay a visit to his mother before they left the city. Having been told about Diana Reid's condition, Hotch had also made Reid see the logic in the younger agent introducing him to his mother. In the unfortunate likelihood that he had to deliver bad news to the young man's mother, the veteran agent felt it would go over better if she had met him under normal circumstances.

Hotch could see how uneasy Reid was about the prospect of seeing his mother and in a way he understood. He could only imagine how hard a decision like this had been for the young man. Hotch didn't need to be a profiler to know that it wasn't because he didn't want to see his mother that Reid was hesitant to make this visit. Just listening to Reid talk, Hotch could hear the guilt in his voice and see that emotion reflected in the younger man's eyes. The older profiler could see how hard it was to trust someone with that information. Hotch had found himself promising not to tell anyone one else before Reid had a chance to ask him not to, knowing that the young man needed to hear that reassurance.

Outside the front door of the building, Reid paused, staring at the front door, unable to just reach out and grab a hold of the door handle. Hotch placed a hand on Reid's shoulder.

"You don't have to do this if you really don't want to," Hotch told him, feeling guilty that he had ever brought the subject of Reid paying his mother a visit up. He had never imagined this type of situation surrounding that simple suggestion.

"I've just never come to visit her alone before. I've always had someone else with me. Almost four years, and I've never been able to bring myself to pay my own mother a visit without someone else there for moral support."

Hotch heard the guilt in the younger agent's voice, as he gave Reid's shoulder a slight squeeze. "Well, you're not alone this time either," Hotch told him. "Besides, I managed to get you through the Academy. I should be able to get you through this visit."

That comment got a small smile from Reid, even as the new FBI agent reached out and grasped the door handle. Pulling it open, Reid stepped into the entrance of the building. Reaching the next set of doors, Reid didn't hesitate and as he stepped through them, the air-conditioned environment of the hospital, made quite a contrast to the warm Nevada day they had left outside.

"Dr. Reid!" the receptionist behind the desk said in surprise, as she saw Spencer Reid approach the desk. Lisa had been working at Bennington for the last three years, and prided herself on knowing the family members of their patients on sight, as well as some of the more regular visitors. "Or should I say Agent Reid, now. Your mother told us you made it through the training. Congratulations!"

"Thank-you," Reid replied quietly, a slight pink coloring his cheeks. "And either title is fine," he added, answering her question.

Lisa nodded. "Your mother didn't mention you were coming to visit."

"She doesn't know. It was sort of a last minute decision. A case brought me out to the area. I just wanted to stop by and see her before we head back east," Reid told her.

"A case already? The FBI sure doesn't waste anytime with putting people to work do they?"

"No, they tend to take new graduates right out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to say," Hotch said, from his place slightly behind Reid. The receptionist looked from Reid to him. Before Hotch could introduce himself, Reid spoke up.

"Lisa, this is my supervising agent, SSA Hotchner," Reid said.

"Nice to meet you," Hotch said, as he held his hand out to the receptionist.

"Likewise, Agent Hotchner," Lisa replied, as she shook his outstretched hand. "I hope you plan on keeping him out of trouble," she added, nodding her head in Reid's direction.

"I certainly plan on trying my best to do just that," Hotch assured her.

"Let me check and see where your Mom is currently at," Lisa said, looking back to Reid as she said the words. The young FBI agent nodded, even as Lisa sat down in her chair and reached for the phone on her desk.

It took the receptionist only a minute or so to find out what she wanted to know. As Lisa placed the receiver back in its cradle, she looked up at Reid. "Your mother is actually in her room, Dr. Reid. You can go on back."

"Thank-you," Reid replied, before heading toward the door off to the left of the receptionist's desk. As he reached for the door handle, he heard the buzz as Lisa hit the button to allow them entry into the living area of Bennington.

Reid led the way through the corridors of the sanitarium without a word. Reaching his mother's room, he knocked on the open door of the room. Inside, Diana Reid looked up from the book she was reading, while sitting in the chair next to the window. Her face lit up with a smile as she saw her son standing in the doorway.

"Spencer, what a nice surprise! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Diana asked, closing the book and letting it rest on her lap.

"It was a last minute thing," Reid told her, as he walked slowly into the room. "I was out here on a case, and we have some free time before we catch our plane."

"You know those things really aren't safe, don't you?" Diana said, her voice full of concern.

"With the distances we need to travel, they're necessary, Mom," Reid replied, knowing exactly how much his mother hated even the idea of having to fly. He hoped the simple answer would be enough for her to le the subject drop.

"So, you're already on your first case," Diana said, changing from the topic of flying as Reid had hoped she would. "It's awfully soon, isn't it? Shouldn't you have been giving time to adjust to job before you started going on cases?" the woman asked, the maternal worry and concern evident in her voice.

Before Reid could speak up, Hotch did so from where he stood behind the younger agent, looking over his shoulder. "The bureau believes the best way for the recruits to learn the job is to put what they learned at the Academy into practice. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, so to say."

Diana let her gaze change from her son to the older agent but she didn't say anything.

"Ah, Mom, I'd like you to meet my direct supervisor, SSA Aaron Hotchner. Sir, my mother, Diana Reid.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Hotch said, stepping around Reid and offering his hand to the woman. Diana held his gaze but made no move to indicate she had even seen the proffered hand. Hotch let the hand drop as Diana began to speak.

"So, you're the person whose looking out for my baby?" Diana said, looking at Hotch as if she was trying to size him up. Reid remained silent, as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor, his cheeks coloring slightly. "The one who is suppose to teach him about this new job of his?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Are you going to keep him safe?" Diana asked, oblivious to her son's mortification at her words. Not that she would have cared, if she had. Like any mother, her child's safety and well-being was her main concern, even after that child was out on their own.

"I will certainly try to do just that to the best of my ability, Mrs. Reid," Hotch told the woman, his facial expression matching his tone.

"Well, at least you're honest. I prefer that to people making unrealistic promises," she replied.

"This is a dangerous job, Mrs. Reid, I'm not going to pretend otherwise, but we do watch each other's backs and take every precaution possible."

Diana Reid was silent a moment as she looked straight at Hotch, her eyes holding his gaze. Then she spoke quietly, her gaze not wavering.

"My boy has a way of attracting trouble, Agent Hotchner. You should be aware of that."

There was no levity in her voice and Hotch wasn't sure how to respond to the comment. He settled for nodding in acknowledgment instead. The gesture seemed to be enough for Diana Reid as she finally looked back at her son.

"You need to be careful. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you too," she told him.

"I will be, Mom," Reid told her, knowing she was referring to his father by the too. What William Reid was doing nowadays neither of them knew, the man having turned his back on both of them years before. "Don't worry."

"I'm a mother, Spencer. It's my job to worry."

Reid smiled and nodded.

"Well, I'm going to give the two of you some time alone," Hotch said, ready to take his leave. He knew it would be awhile before mother and son got to see each other again, and he felt they needed some time to themselves, even if the young agent didn't realize it. Getting him to come here, when they were already in the area, had proved difficult, even after Reid had opened up to him. He didn't see Reid making an effort to come out on his own any time soon. "It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Reid," he said, holding his hand out to the woman once again.

"Likewise, Agent Hotchner," Diana replied, shaking his hand this time.

"Watch the time. I'll wait for you outside," Hotch told his subordinate.

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, as Hotch headed out of the room and disappeared down the hallway. Part of him wishing he was leaving with his training agent, Reid turned back to his mother.

"Sit down, Spencer," Diana told her son, taking his hand and leading him to the couch along the one wall. "Tell me about your graduation. I wish I could have been there to see that. A mother should be there for milestones like that in her child's life."

"It's okay, Mom. You were there with me in spirit," Reid told her as the two of them sat down. As he figured, there hadn't been enough time for his letter about graduation to reach her, so he told her about the ceremony and about the impromptu celebratory dinner that the Hotchners had given him.

"That was a nice thing for her to do and your supervisor seems like a good man," Diana told her son. She had so hoped that his first posting would bring her son back closer to her. It would have been nice to have him on the west coast if not in the Las Vegas field office. Still, as she listened to him talk, Diana couldn't deny that her son sounded happy to be where he was and the mother in her wanted him happy more than anything else. "If you're going to be so far away from me, it's a comfort to know you've got decent people in your life to look out for you."

Reid glanced down at his watch. It wasn't quite time for him to leave yet so they could be at the airport when the jet arrived for them, but he figured now was a good time for him to take his leave anyway.

"I'll be okay, Mom. Don't worry," Reid said, trying to reassure her. "I need to be going though."

"Duty calls, huh?" Diana said, standing as Reid got to his feet.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stay longer," Reid told her.

"Oh, it was a treat just to see you, Spencer," Diana said as she stood up. "I love you," she told him as she pulled her son into an embrace.

"I love you too," Reid told her, as he hugged her back, wishing that he didn't have to let go. That he didn't have to leave her here. It didn't seem right and yet he knew the reality. He knew that he couldn't take care of her by himself. Couldn't provide her with the emotional and medical care that she needed on his own. As much as he hated this arrangement, it had gotten to the point where this was the only option he saw open to him. Why his mother didn't hate him for putting her in here, Reid wasn't sure.

Reid felt the tears welling up in his eyes. Stepping back, he broke the embrace and then placed a kiss on Diana's cheek. "I'll keep in touch," he promised her.

"I know you will. You're always very good at that," Diana replied. "You be careful, Spencer," she told him.

"I will," Reid managed to get out, as he felt the emotions start to choke him up. Before he started crying in front of her, Reid turned and left the room.

As he headed for the entrance of the hospital, he felt a couple of tears roll down his cheeks. He hurriedly reached up and wiped them away, not wanting anyone to see them. Reaching the reception area, he said a quick good-bye to Lisa as he walked past her desk. By the time he reached the waiting SUV, he felt a little more in control of his emotions though he wasn't sure if he could maintain that control if he was forced to speak. Reid was thankful that his supervisor didn't say anything as he climbed into the passenger seat.

The drive to the airport was quiet, though Hotch did keep stealing glances at the younger agent as he drove. He wondered silently if this side trip had been such a good idea, as Reid seemed troubled by it. The older agent couldn't imagine what was going through his teammate's head. Couldn't imagine what he would feel if he was in the younger man's shoes. Losing his father at a young age had been hard enough. His mother had still been an anchor for her children as they grew. Reid hadn't had that. He had been the one who had to be strong, and from what Hotch could see, had done a decent job so far.

The conversation he had with Haley came back to him. He remembered the sympathy in her voice when they were discussing Reid not having any family close. Family was important to his wife, and it didn't surprise him that she would open her home to someone whom she knew didn't have that. ~_Reid's more alone than we thought, though. It isn't just the idea of distance separating he and his mother. Instead of having someone to lean on when things get rough, he's got to be the support system. That can't be easy_,~ Hotch thought, making a vow to reach out to the younger agent anyway possible.

Hotch thought about the relationship his original team had forged. In many ways, they had been family. Like all families though, time changes the dynamics, and members go their separate ways. New members joined. How each member handled those changes determined whether the new family group worked or became dysfunctional. Making sure the latter didn't happen to this family unit was partly his responsibility. He planed on doing whatever it took to keep the team working as well as it had been the last few years. Part of that involved making Reid see that he did have a support system now. That things didn't rest solely on his shoulders. ~_And somehow, I don't think that is going to be an easy task_.~

"Sir, you won't tell any of the others, will you?" Reid asked, despite Hotch having already told him as much before they had gone to Bennington, the question breaking through Hotch's thoughts.

"No. They only need to know as much about your personal life as you want to share with them," Hotch assured him, for a second time. "I won't say a word to anyone. We all have some secrets about our personal lives but sometimes sharing can lift a burden a little."

"I'm just not ready for anyone to know. It's not that I'm ashamed, I just . . ." Reid left his voice trail off as he realized he wasn't sure how to describe how he felt.

"It's okay. I won't say anything but I want you to know, if you ever need to talk, I'll listen. I know things must get rough at times."

Reid didn't reply. Glancing over quickly, Hotch saw him staring out the window. The FBI profiler decided to leave the conversation where it was. The offer was out there, whether Reid chose to take him up on it, would be up to him.


	11. Meeting the Rest

_**Charleston, South Carolina:**_

SA Fred Hudson stood with his two teammates outside the interrogation room, watching their suspect through the one-way glass. After a quick conference amongst the three of them, following Marley's slip, Hudson had gone back in. Having realized that there wasn't a way to talk his way out of his blunder, Marley had been even less willing to talk about the case. It hadn't taken him long to start asking for a deal, requesting that if he cooperated they promised not to pursue the death penalty. Not able to authorize that, Hudson had brought the interview to an end again, telling Marley he would look into it. Now the profilers were waiting for the DA to arrive before going back in.

"Think the DA will give him the deal?" Hudson asked, his eyes not leaving Marley, who was now tapping the fingers of the hand that wasn't cuffed to the table on the surface of it.

"I think so," Gideon replied. "While we have evidence to link him to the current murders, there's nothing solid enough to convict him for the murders back in Nevada. We need his confession in order to do that."

"There is no guarantee he'll confess even with the deal on the table though," Hudson said.

"Oh, I think he will. Look at him. The guy is scared. He knows he's cornered and at this point is just trying to keep himself alive," Morgan interjected.

"Usually once they start asking for deals, they're ready to talk," Gideon added.

Footsteps behind them made all three FBI agents look away from the window. Detective Roberts was entering the room just ahead of a man with sandy blonde hair. The neatly pressed suit, tie and black dress shoes screamed lawyer. Even if his apparel hadn't, the black briefcase in his right hand was a good indication.

"Mark Donlevy, District Attorney," Detective Roberts said, indicating the man following him. "These are Agents Gideon, Morgan and Hudson," he said, pointing to each agent in turn.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Donlevy," Gideon said, stepping forward as he held out his hand. The attorney shook the proffered hand as Gideon continued. "So are you willing to make a deal with him?"

"You think he'll confess if he gets the promise of avoiding the death penalty?" Donlevy asked.

"I do. He's looking for a way out," Gideon replied. "At this point, survival is his only goal."

"Then let's go give him what he wants," the DA replied, with a nod toward the door.

"Agent Hudson will go in with you. He's been handling the interrogation so far there and is who Marley will be expecting. Changing at this point could cause him to go silent on us."

Donlevy nodded. With Hudson in the lead, the two men entered the interrogation room. Jacob Marley looked in their direction as they entered.

"Jake, this is District Attorney Mark Donlevy," Hudson said, gesturing to the lawyer as he made his way over to the table where Marley was sitting. Hudson perched on the edge of the table leaving the second chair in the room for the DA. "He's here to talk to you about that deal."

Marley held Hudson's gaze for a few moments before letting it drift to the lawyer. He didn't speak though. He wasn't about to make the first move in this situation.

"Agent Hudson tells me you're willing to cooperate if the prosecution doesn't go for the death penalty," Donlevy said, his gaze coolly meeting that of the suspect's.

"That's right. A deal in writing," Marley replied.

"Why should I?" Donlevy asked, keeping his tone neutral. In reality the decision to give Marley his deal had already been made. There were too many cold bodies involved to leave anything to chance in this case. Putting this guy behind bars for life and giving those families closure was what was important. A confession by Marley would ensure that outcome while there was always a risk with a trial, no matter how slight, that he could walk. However, he didn't want to come off as looking desperate to Marley. ~_Let the guy think I'm still weighing my options._~ "How do I know you have anything to say that would be of interest to me?"

"Oh, I'm sure I have some information you would like," Marley said, keeping his voice just as calm as the lawyer's. "Besides, if you guys had enough evidence for a sure fire conviction, they wouldn't have wasted the time to bring you in here to talk to me."

Donlevy didn't let the answer shake him. They still had the advantage. There was no reason to give in so easily. "What kind of information do you have for me?"

"Information that will help you close your case," Marley replied, not admitting to anything though everyone in the room knew what he meant.

"Does this information pertain to both the recent murders and the ones that occurred in Nevada three years ago?" Hudson asked.

"It does," Marley replied calmly.

Donlevy opened the briefcase that he had placed on the table, removing some papers from it. He placed the papers on the table and closed the briefcase. "Here is the deal. Providing that the information you give us does end in a conviction in the recent murders here in Charleston and those in Nevada three years ago, the prosecution will not pursue the death penalty. If the information does not help with a conviction, the deal is null and void. Are we clear on those terms?"

"Name all the murders we're talking about," Marley demanded. Hudson rattled off the names of all the murder victims without hesitation.

"Do we have a deal?" Donlevy asked, staring across the table at Hudson.

"Yes," Marley replied.

Donlevy reached inside his suit jacket and removed a pen from his shirt pocket. Placing it on top of the paper, he pushed them across the table toward Marley. With his free right hand, the suspect pulled the paper toward him. After a quick glance at the paper, he picked up the pen, signed the paper, and pushed it back toward Donlevy.

"So, are you ready to talk now?" Hudson asked.

"What do you want to know?" Marley asked.

"Let's start back in Nevada with the very first murder, Reva Ling," Hudson told him.

"It wasn't the first one," Marley replied calmly, "but sure we can start there."

_**Quantico, VA, the following day:**_

"Man, I wish they all sang like a song bird for us," Morgan commented as he and Hudson walked off the elevator onto the sixth floor of the building housing the BAU. Not only had Jake Marley confessed to the ten murders that the FBI already knew about, but also two prostitutes that he had killed before Reva. His 'experiments' were how Marley had referred to them. Given the transient nature of their lives, no one had even bothered reporting the first two as missing.

"It's just my natural persuasive attitude," Hudson replied easily.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," Morgan replied, cracking a smile at his teammate's comment. Looking toward in the direction of his desk, he saw a new face at the desk facing Hudson's. "That must be the new guy," Morgan said, dropping his voice and slowing his steps.

"Nichols said he was what, twenty-two?" Hudson asked, glancing over at Morgan, who nodded. "He looks like he belongs in high school."

"What I'd like to know is how he ever got through hand-to-hand combat at the academy," Morgan commented.

"Heard you did pretty well at that when you went through. You can always give him a refresher course."

"I'd be afraid I would hurt him," Morgan commented.

The two agents fell silent as they approached their desks. The new guy looked up from whatever was open on his desk at their approach. Without so much of a word Hudson sat down at his desk and turned his attention to his computer. Morgan placed his coffee cup down on his desk and walked the short distance over to where his new teammate sat. Reid looked up at him and Morgan couldn't help but notice that he inched his chair away from him ever so slightly.

Putting a smile on his face, to try not to come off quite so intimidating, Morgan addressed him. "Agent Reid?" he asked. At the younger man's slight nod, he held out his hand. "SSA Derek Morgan. I'm one of your new teammates."

Reid said something so low that Morgan couldn't make it out as he tentatively shook his hand. Again Morgan found himself wondering just how the young agent had made it through the academy. He definitely had his doubts about how effective he would be out in the field. ~_It looks like a strong wind would blow the guy away._~

"What was that?" Morgan asked.

"I said it is nice to meet you," Reid said, in a low but at least audible voice this time.

"You know we deal with the public quite often. You're going to be meeting a lot of people in this job. I hope you can do better than that," Morgan said lightly, intending the words to be teasing. He had his doubts that his teammate took the words that way.

"I'm working on that," Reid replied, looking down at his desk.

"There is probably quite a bit he's still working on," Hudson said from his desk, telling the other two that even though he was looking at his computer screen, the other agent was listening to their conversation. "They waived the age requirement, so there is no telling what other requirements they waived for him."

"I worked hard to get through the academy," Reid said defensively, though he didn't look up from the desk.

"Worked hard to what, just barely pass," Hudson said, giving up the pretense of not listening to the conversation and shifting his gaze from the computer screen to the agent sitting across the partition from him. "Just how did you do at Hogan's Alley and what were your scores for marksmanship?"

"I don't have to tell you that," Reid replied.

"You're right, you don't but it might put our minds a bit more at ease with having you out in the field with us," Hudson replied. He paused, giving Reid a chance to reply. "Or perhaps confirm what we pretty much already know, not to count on some . . ."

"Back off, Hudson," Nichols said, approaching the three younger agents, "or else I may just have to relay some of your less than stellar performances at the academy to our two colleagues."

"An idle threat," Hudson replied, looking up at his approaching teammate, who was carrying a couple of folders with him. "You have absolutely no idea how I did in the academy."

"You were beat by a girl in hand-to-hand combat twice, you failed an exercise at Hogan's Alley for 'shooting a civilian' . . ."

"Enough," Hudson said, interrupting the team's technical expert. "How did you find that out?"

"I have my ways. I've warned you both before I can find out anything I want to know about the two of you," Nichols said, waving the folders first in Hudson's direction and then at Morgan.

"You lost hand-to-hand combat to a girl?" Morgan said, a wide grin on his face, more interested in that tidbit of information than in Nichols' warning.

"Shut-up," Hudson said, looking sharply at Morgan. "I was having an off-day."

"Pal, I could take you on one of my off-days," Morgan told him, still grinning at the mental image that Nichols' statement had given him.

"Don't be so sure about that," Hudson told him.

"Now guys, as entertaining as that match-up would be, it's going to have to wait as I don't think Gideon is going to let you out of work this morning to go settle this, who can kick whose butt argument," Nichols said. "Especially not when there is paper work to do," he added holding the folders up in either hand with a grin, enjoying the looks of displeasure from his co-workers. He held the folders out to their intended targets. "You guys should know by now every case ends with reports."

"How come I have two folders?" Hudson asked, opening the top folder as he spoke.

"Something about a complaint from a Charleston deputy. Apparently your people skills can use some work, Hudson."

"Great. Just what I need," Hudson muttered, just before the papers in the unopened folder slipped out and fluttered to the ground, spreading out as they hadn't been fastened together yet. Hudson looked from the inquiry forms down to the papers on the floor, a look of contempt on his face. He was starting to think the forces of the world were out to make this one miserable day for him. "Why don't you put paper clips on these things before you give them to us, Nichols?" Hudson griped as he dropped the folders onto the top of his desk before pushing his chair back to collect the fallen papers.

"You know I hate paper clips. All that ever seems to happens when I have paperclips in my office is that they get tangled up together. Those little pieces of metal were probably invented by a woman just to complicate a man's life," was Nichols reply to his co-worker's gripe.

"Actually the paperclip dates back to Norway in 1899. Johan Vaaler was an inventor with degrees in electronics, mathematics and science. At the time, Norway didn't have patent laws so he had to get the patent from Germany and then in America in 1901. Though other designs may have existed before his, Vaaler's was the first patented design. Before the introduction of the paperclip, some popular ways to fasten papers together were straight pins, and the use of ribbons to tie them together dates back to the 13th century. The double oval shape design that is thought of today as the standard paperclip, is known as the "Gem" clip, and was actually never patented, though William Middlebrook did patent the machine for making them, *" Reid said, in a voice that all three of the agents could easily hear.

Morgan looked at the younger agent in disbelief. ~_He just rattled off those facts like they were common knowledge. Who the hell knows things like that?_~ he thought. "Great he knows everything," Morgan commented, sharing a look with Hudson before looking back at his newest team member. "Where did the stapler come from?" he asked sarcastically.

Missing the sarcasm in his co-worker's voice, Reid opened his mouth to reply. Before he could get any sound out though, Nichols rested a hand on the younger agent's shoulder. "I wouldn't answer that," Nichols told him, as Reid turned his head to look at him. Nichols saw the quizzical look on the young genius' face but to his credit, he followed the advice and didn't say anything.

~_He may be a genius but evidently no one has taught him how to recognize sarcasm_, ~ Nichols thought. He noted that the younger agent was once again looking at his desk, avoiding looking at the three agents surrounding him. The experienced profiler could tell from Reid's body language that he was extremely uncomfortable. ~_He's probably feeling outnumbered_, ~ he thought, feeling that the best thing to do was to break up the conversation. Give the new guy some space.

"Perhaps we should all get to work before Gideon comes out and tells us to get to work," Nichols suggested, with a glance up toward their Unit Chief's office. Nichols could see that Gideon was standing near the window of his office, looking in their direction. He had worked with the man long enough to know that Gideon was sizing up how they were all interacting with one another and while there was no way he could hear what had been said, the senior agent wouldn't have missed much.

The other three agents followed Nichols' gaze. Hudson immediately turned his attention to the papers he had picked up off the floor and began to put them back in the correct order. Morgan reached out and lightly touched Reid's upper arm. Both he and Nichols didn't miss the startled jump from the younger man, at the light touch, even as he turned his head to look up at Morgan.

"If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask," Morgan told him. Though Reid nodded his acknowledgment, Morgan got the impression that any questions coming from his new teammate would be made only as a last resort.

"And you know where my office is, Junior," Nichols told him as he took a few steps backwards in the direction of the steps.

"Ah, yes si . . . ah, Agent Nichols," Reid replied, catching himself from using the title sir. Though Nichols outranked him, as did all of his teammates, the computer tech had already made it clear that he didn't want to be addressed as sir.

"_I'm your teammate, Junior. I don't want to hear any of that sir garbage from you. Save that for Gideon and Hotch," Nichols had told him back on his first day at the BAU._

"You're catching on," Nichols told him, pointing a finger at him, before turning and heading to his office.

Morgan headed back to his own desk, the folder in hand. Sitting down, he opened the folder but instead of getting started on the report, he found his gaze drifting back over to his new teammate. ~_The kid seems scared of me_, ~ Morgan thought as he watched the young agent go back to his own paperwork. The dark-skinned agent replayed the recent conversation through his head, trying to decide if he had done something that might have scared Reid. _~He acted scared right from the start, so it couldn't have been anything I said_, ~ Morgan pondered. ~_What is it? _~ He couldn't put his finger on it.

After a few minutes, Morgan let his gaze drift away from Reid and back to the papers in front of him. The report definitely wasn't getting done with him daydreaming.

* * *

In his office, Gideon had watched the interaction from his office as well as the dispersal of his subordinates. Hotch had reported that Nichols had already been trying to put Reid at ease and help him through this early transition. He had seen that this morning. From the reaction of the other two, Gideon had a feeling Reid was going to need that support.

The hostility from Hudson was clear even from this distance. Hudson wasn't about to give the new agent an open-armed welcome, despite the fact that he was in Reid's position not long ago - the new guy on the team._~Maybe that's the problem though. Maybe Hudson is feeling threatened by Reid. He tried several times to get into the BAU and now that he's here he is feeling the need to prove himself.~ _Whatever it was, Gideon knew that he had to keep a close eye on the situation. He didn't want to lose either agent and the current situation could lead to that possibility very easily. If Hudson felt too threatened, he might put in for a transfer. Not to mention the open hostility couldn't remain if the team was to function. As for Reid, the new agent was going to need the support of all his team members. If he didn't have that, he might not make it through the next month in the bureau, let alone his two-year probationary period.

As for Morgan, the dark-skinned agent was guarded by nature. Gideon hadn't expected anything different from him but at least he seemed willing to give Reid a chance. Had made an attempt to be friendly, though even that hadn't seemed to work well. Reid's reaction to Morgan's self-introduction had not been typical. Gideon had been puzzled by it as much as Morgan had seemed to be, but then after thinking it over, Gideon thought he understood it.

In high school terms, Morgan fit the classic jock stereotype -the athletic guy who always gave the skinny, smart kids a hard time. Given the fact that Reid had always been younger than his peers and without a doubt the smartest kid in any given class room, Gideon had a feeling the young man had been the target of many of those jock types growing up.

~_Every member of this team has something to bring to the table, _~ Gideon thought. ~_What one of us is weak in, one of the others is strong in that area. The trick is learning each others' strengths and weakness and using that to our advantage. To help someone who is weak in one skill get stronger while accepting their help in what they are good at.~_

Gideon continued to watch the activity in the bullpen a little longer. All three of his agents were at their desks, working on their respective paperwork. Morgan and Hudson talked to one another while they worked and though Morgan made several attempts to bring Reid into the conversation, other than short answers, the newest agent kept to himself.

Suddenly, an idea came to Gideon. Turning from the window, the FBI agent headed for his desk, sitting down in his chair, he picked up the phone. A few phone calls and he should be able to put his plan into action. He was determined to make this team gel no matter how much members of the team might gripe about his methods.

*Info found at http:/ . com/library /inventors/ blpaperclip. htm article written by Mary Bellis


	12. Team Dynamics

AN: Well, here is another weekend bonus update for you all. This one is to celebrate the story reaching 100 favorite alerts! My first story to get that many people to add it to their favorites. Thanks to all who did! Also, thanks for all the reviews from last chapters. Really appreciate the feedback! and with that - enjoy!

* * *

Morgan and Hudson were sitting together at a table in the building's cafeteria during their lunch break. Hudson was talking about the plans that he had for the upcoming weekend, providing that they weren't out working a case. Given that it was Thursday, and if they got a new case at this point, working the weekend looked very likely, Morgan hadn't made plans. If he didn't have to work, he would figure out what to do then.

Only half-listening to his friend's self-debate on what club would be best to hit, Morgan let his eyes wander around the room. It was the normal lunch crowd and his fellow agents and the civilians, who kept the bureau running, were gathered in their normal groups. Like all school and workplace cafeterias, theirs had the predictable routine pattern of who sat with who and the unwritten rule of which table each group sat at. Even he and Hudson always ate at the table they were currently sitting at, joined by Nichols, when the computer specialist didn't hole up in his office, like he had today.

Today, something was different though. Morgan's eyes fell on a lone figure sitting at a small table by one of the windows. Dr. Spencer Reid had found an empty table and though there was food on the table in front of him, he didn't appear to be eating anything. Instead, Reid seemed quite content to be staring outside, like there was something extremely interesting happening outside of the window.

Morgan was about to shift his attention back to Hudson, when he noticed two agents from another BAU team approach the table Reid was sitting at. The new agent was soon looking up at the new arrivals instead of out the window. Though he couldn't hear what was being said, Morgan could tell the veteran agents were giving the new comer a hard time.

"Morgan, are you paying attention at all to what I am saying?" he heard Hudson suddenly ask.

Morgan didn't look away from the scene unfolding in front of him. He hated it when people gave others a hard time because something may have been different about them, they were new, or were weaker in some way and therefore made an easy target. Having been on the receiving end of that at one point of his life, he knew exactly how it felt and he tried hard not to do it to others. Sure, he liked to have fun. Enjoyed a bit of good-natured teasing and banter among his co-workers, but he never did so with the intent to hurt someone's feelings. Not that it didn't happen, from time to time, but when it did, he tried to make amends. Apologize to the other person. What he was watching definitely didn't seem like good-natured teasing.

When his friend didn't answer him, Hudson let his gaze drift in the direction that Morgan was looking. "Wonder if the new guy is going to try giving them a lecture on their food choices," Hudson commented, having already endured two more of Reid's random babbling of facts that morning, after hearing about the origins of the paperclip. "Or perhaps he could dazzle them with some witty comments about the first cafeteria," he said, waving his left hand around to indicate the room they were currently sitting in.

"Maybe we should go over there and run some interference for him?" Morgan suggested.

"Why?"

Morgan finally looked away from the scene by the window and at his friend. "Maybe because he's our teammate."

"So. We're in a building filled with federal agents. No one is going to do anything to him other than give him a hard time."

"And you think that's okay? You don't think that maybe we should make at least a bit of attempt at making him feel welcome here?"

"He doesn't belong here. He hasn't done anything to prove that he belongs on this team, especially when other agents, with more experience, would die for a spot here."

"Like you?" Morgan asked. Hudson shot him a look but didn't say anything. "Hey man, it's no secret that you got overlooked for this position several times but you know what, you persevered. You're here and you've already proved that you belong here. The only one who is in any position to jeopardize your place on this team is you. Reid was brought in to replace Collins, not you, so stop feeling the need to compete with him."

"You think I see him as competition?" Hudson said, disbelievingly as he pointed a thumb in Reid's direction, without looking over at the younger agent.

"Yes, I do."

"If I didn't know you better, I would say you've been smoking something," Hudson said as he got to his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"For a walk," Hudson told him. "See you on the floor."

Morgan watched his friend walk out of the cafeteria. He wasn't too concerned. His friend was a little ticked at him right now, but it would blow over. It always did. Morgan glanced back in Reid's direction, ready to go run interference if the same guys were still hovering around. To his surprise he saw that both Hotch and Gideon were now sitting with the genius.

"Guess he doesn't need my help then," Morgan said softly, picking up the half-eaten burger that was sitting in front of him.

* * *

Morgan sighed and put his head down on his arms. Nearby Reid was spouting off a lecture about different types of figures of speech, after Hudson had made the comment about dying to get out of the office. The fact that Hudson had gotten up while Reid was still talking hadn't stopped the new agent from continuing with his lecture.

~_He may be smart, and apparently someone thinks he has decent profiling skills but in some situations this guy is completely clueless_, ~ Morgan thought.

If he thought that putting his head down on his desk would communicate his frustration to his newest team member, Morgan was mistaken. Unfazed by the actions of both his co-workers, Reid was still spouting off like an English professor. Slowly, Morgan lifted his head and looked over at the young genius who was currently talking about something known as the four fundamental operations.

Not able to take it anymore, Morgan interrupted the younger agent. "Reid, just shut up! Nobody cares how many types of figures of speeches there are, what category they fall into or what the four fundamental operations are. If we wanted to know that junk we'd be in a classroom not agents in the FBI!"

Morgan's outburst had silenced the young agent as well as attracted the attention of every employee in the bullpen area. Reid glanced down at his desk, while Morgan sighed in frustration, running one hand over the top of his head. The apology was right at the tip of his tongue but he wasn't able to put voice to the words.

"I-I'm sorry," Reid said softly.

From his desk, Morgan could still see the younger man's face. He could tell that right about now Reid wanted to be anywhere but where he was.

"Reid," Hotch's voice said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the bullpen. The newest agent of the BAU looked in his supervisor's direction as did quite a few of the other agents. Hotch was standing near the doorway of Gideon's office having just come out of it. He was holding a folder that the unit chief had given him. "I want your help on this consultation," Hotch said, holding up the folder.

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, getting to his feet. Staying close to his and Hudson's desk, he walked past Morgan to head for Hotch's office.

With another sigh, Morgan leaned back in his chair. Not only wasn't he making a good impression with his newest team member, but he knew neither Hotch nor Gideon was going to take kindly to any of them giving Reid a hard time. The two of them had brought Reid onto the team. They obviously felt he could contribute to the team and Gideon had made it clear that he expected Hudson, Nichols and himself to at least be civil to him.

"Smooth move there, man," Hudson said, coming back from wherever he had disappeared to. As he held a mug of coffee out to Morgan, the dark-skinned agent figured out where his co-worker had gone.

"Yeah, well I couldn't take his rattling on anymore," Morgan said, taking the mug of coffee from Hudson. "I sure hope he is as smart as they claim because there is going to have to be something he brings to the table to make putting up with him worth it."

"Yeah, don't lose that optimism there, Morgan," Hudson said with a laugh as he sat down at his desk.

The two agents got back to what they had been working on without the English lesson. The day was almost over with and both men hoped Hotch would keep the younger agent occupied in his office for the rest of it.

Twenty minutes later, Morgan saw the alert come up on his computer that he had an incoming email. It wasn't long before he had the email open and was scanning through it.

"Man, I can't believe this," Morgan said, in frustration as he finished reading the message.

"What is it?" Hudson asked, looking over from his desk.

"You remember that report last week that I stayed late finishing to make the deadline?"

"Because of the accident while you were driving the SUV?"

"That wasn't my fault. I was stopped at a stop sign and that idiot bus driver decided the SUV needed a new body job or something."

"Hey, I was in the passenger seat, man, I know it wasn't your fault. What's the problem though?"

"They're saying I never turned the report in. I sent it in as an attachment. I know I did."

"So, what's the problem, just send the file in again."

"I would if I had it."

"You deleted it?" Hudson asked.

"I didn't have any use for it anymore," Morgan said. "I turned it in, nightmare over."

"Well, forward a copy of the email you sent," Hudson said. Morgan looked at him with a confused look on his face. "You mean you don't save copies of the work emails you send?"

"You can do that?"

Hudson laughed. "Looks like you are screwed man. Guess I know where you are going to be tonight." Hudson looked up at the clock on the wall. "Me, I'm going to be walking out of here in twenty minutes."

"Yeah, well with any luck, I'll be right behind you," Morgan said getting to his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"Requesting the help of the one person who can possibly bail me out of this mess," Morgan replied, heading toward Nichols' office. Reaching the computer genius' office, Morgan knocked but in his desperation didn't wait for a response. "Nichols, you've got to help me. I don't want to have to do this report again."

Nichols turned from his computer screens. "Sure, Morgan. Come on in," he said easily, with a smile on his face. He stopped smiling when he saw the panicked look on his friend's face. "Okay, what's going on? What do you need help with?"

Morgan poured out the whole story in a matter of minutes.

"Relax man," Nichols said, resisting the urge to laugh. "I've got your back," he told him, as he turned back to his computer screens. He began typing in some commands, too fast for Morgan to even follow. It seemed like no time at all, Nichols stopped his flurry of activity and looked over his shoulder at Morgan. "There you go. Report retrieved, as well as the original email, which looks to have gotten lost in the system and never reached its intended recipient. It happens sometimes if there is heavy traffic." Nichols typed in a few more commands and brought up the office email login page. "There, log into your account and we'll get the email sent off, with a copy of it saved to your account this time."

"What? You can't log into my account on your own?"

"I'll never admit to it," Nichols replied, as he pushed his chair out from in front of the keyboard to give Morgan room to get to the keyboard.

"You're a savior man," Morgan said, as he typed in his user name and password. He then stepped aside to let Nichols get back to his keyboard.

"Not hardly," the tech replied as he switched the options on the account to automatically save outgoing emails for his co-worker. That done he started composing another email, attaching both the retrieved report and original email to it. "Retrieving information from a network that you're already inside of is a piece of cake. Nothing like the stunt that almost got me kicked out of the University of Texas my sophomore year there."

"Do I even want to know?" Morgan asked.

"Just a little harmless fun. Administration didn't have much of a sense of humor but given that I was an A/B student, never been in trouble before, and Dad was a regular alumni contributor, I got away with academic probation. I learned a valuable lesson from it."

"Oh what's that?"

"When you want to hack a system, don't get caught," Nichols replied. Morgan laughed. "There, how does that sound?" Nichols asked.

Morgan read over the email Nichols had composed that was supposedly from him. "Sounds okay."

Nichols hit the send button. "There you go, task complete, and look we have five minutes until the end of the work day."

"I owe you man," Morgan said, clapping Nichols on the shoulder.

"I'll keep that in mind," Nichols said. "And for future reference, all emails you send will now have a copy which can be found in this folder," Nichols said, clicking on the correct link.

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a knock on the door. The two agents turned to see Gideon standing in the doorway.

"What can I do for you?" Nichols asked, assuming the unit chief had come looking for him.

"Nothing. I just wanted to let the two of you know that the team will not be spending the day at the office tomorrow. I think the day will be better spent getting in some training. We meet at nine a.m. at Hogan's Alley. Dress in something that will allow you to participate in athletic activities," the unit chief said.

"What are we going to be doing?" Morgan asked.

"You'll find out tomorrow. If anyone calls out sick, it better be because you broke a bone or are in the hospital. All excuses will be checked into," Gideon told them before walking away.

"Man, he sounds serious," Morgan commented.

"Maybe if you and Hudson had been nicer to Junior."

"So this is our fault?"

"Well, you haven't exactly welcomed him with open arms," Nichols replied.

"How did Reid do at the academy in the more physical activities?" Morgan asked, having no doubt that Nichols knew Reid's scores as well as he had known Hudson's and probably his own as well.

"I'm not saying. I will tell you that his hand gun scores were better than mine," Nichols replied.

"I thought you said that if you had missed just one more target you would have failed?"

"I did," Nichols replied as he began shutting down his system.

"Then anyone who passed the academy has better hand gun scores than yours. That doesn't tell me anything."

"Guess you'll find out how good a shot he is tomorrow."

"Gideon didn't say anything about target practice."

"Why else would we be going out to Hogan's Alley. We'll probably be repeating some of the training the cadets do," Nichols said getting to his feet. "Ready to relive your academy days, Morgan?" Nichols asked, throwing his arm around his co-workers shoulders.

"At least I'm young enough to remember them," Morgan quipped.

"Low blow man. I know who I'm going to be aiming for tomorrow," Nichols said as the two made their way out of the office.

"So that means you're going to actually hit the building I'm standing next to, right?" Morgan said.

"I'm a better shot than I was in my academy days," Nichols replied.

"We'll see," Morgan said, heading down the steps into the bullpen area, as Nichols headed straight for the elevators.


	13. Hogan's Alley

_Yesterday was kind of a rough day for me at the office. I don't think I've figured out how to blend in with my fellow co-workers. I'm sure things will get better though. Like you always used to tell me, I just need to give it time and be myself._

Reid looked down at the words he had just written. Even if he really didn't feel as optimistic as he was trying to make it sound in the letter, he figured it was written well enough that his mother wouldn't worry about him. ~_Or well, at least not worry any more than she already does, _~ he added remembering his mother's words to Agent Hotchner out in Las Vegas. He knew there wasn't a way he could stop his mother from fretting over his well being, but the last thing he wanted to do was write something to add to her anxiety.

Continuing his letter, Reid briefly mentioned Morgan and Hudson. He had a feeling he wasn't too popular with those two right about now, so he didn't go into detail in case that came through in the letter. Instead, he told her about Nichols. At least he felt like he had an ally when it came to the team's computer expert. Mathematically speaking, that meant he had the majority of the team on his side, though deep down he wanted to be accepted by all of them. ~_I guess first I've got to prove to them that I belong on the team, _~ Reid thought, as he finished off the letter to his mother.

Placing the pen on the counter, he folded the paper and placed it in an envelope. After sealing, addressing and placing a stamp on it, he tucked the letter into the front pocket of his bag so he could post it on his way to work the following morning.

He still didn't feel tired, despite it being almost midnight. Standing up from the stool he stretched his arms above his head, trying to loosen the muscles of his shoulders. Reid knew that he should get some sleep as he had a feeling it was going to be a long day at work the following day, though Gideon would not give out details of what they would be doing. All he had said was to dress for physical activity and that they were to meet at Hogan's Alley at nine. He had always dreaded going to Hogan's Alley during his time at the Academy. Those experiences were fresh in his memory and not something he remembered fondly. There had been several guys in his class that had gotten extreme pleasure from giving him a hard time during those outings.

_~The same pleasure that Hudson and Morgan are probably going to get tomorrow, _~ Reid thought as he finished his stretch and brought his arms down. ~_And calling out will get me no where_, ~ he thought, not even entertaining the thought that the unit chief wouldn't look into any call outs like he had said. ~_I'm just going to have to deal with the humiliation, though after some of the training activities at the academy you would think I would be a pro at this by now_.~

Reid walked into the living room and absently pulled a book from a shelf not caring which one it was. Settling down on the couch, he laid the book open in his lap and began to read the familiar words trying to draw comfort from them. If he could only concentrate on the words on the page instead of letting his mind run through all kinds of possible scenarios that he could possibly face the following day. Exactly what did Gideon have in mind for them?

~_The book. Read the book_, ~ Reid said, saying the words like a small mantra, as he focused on the black words on the white page in front of him.

It wasn't long before he was able to focus on the book in front of him. Reading the words he remembered hearing his mother first read to him when he was young, Reid was able to forget about his current problems. It wasn't long before he started dozing off, the need for sleep finally catching up with him.

* * *

At eight fifty-five the following morning, Reid stood by himself on the street of Hogan's Alley outside of The Dogwood Inn. He stood with his arms folded tightly across himself, feeling as self-conscious as he often had while in the Academy. The only difference was there was less people present this time around. Instead of the rest of his class and academy instructors, it was only he and his new teammates standing on the street of the fake town.

Morgan and Hudson were standing in the middle of the street. Both men were dressed in black cargo pants and black tightfitting long sleeved shirts. To Reid they looked dangerous and ready for business. Neither looked to be nervous at all, which only made him feel more self-conscious.

Nichols, Hotch and Gideon had yet to make an appearance. Hearing approaching footsteps, Reid turned to see the three senior members of the team walking toward them, all three of them loaded down with equipment. Nichols and Gideon were both dressed much like Hudson and Morgan, though their shirts had FBI emblazoned on them in white letters. Hotch was not wearing his usual suit, but was dressed in a black dress shirt, black slacks and black sneakers. Reid also noticed the lack of a tie and his supervisor, which was the first time he had not seen Hotch wear one.

"Good you're all on time," Gideon said approaching the spot where Reid stood and putting down the box he was carrying. In it were padded vests with colorful stains on them from previous hits they had taken from paintballs that hadn't completely come out and safety goggles. Straightening up, Gideon motioned for Hudson and Morgan to join them, as Hotch and Nichols came up behind Gideon putting down the boxes containing the guns, ammo, and the radios they would all be using. All the equipment was on loan from the Academy.

After placing the box containing the paintball ammo and radios down on the ground, Hotch moved to stand behind Reid. The older agent placed a hand on the younger agent's shoulder. "Just relax. It's not like anything we do today is going to be graded," Hotch said quietly.

Reid nodded slightly. It wasn't the reaction that Hotch was going for, as he had been trying to put the younger agent a bit more at ease. He had at least hoped the comment might draw a smile from Reid.

Hotch found himself hoping that Gideon's plan didn't backfire. Hotch knew Gideon had arranged this as a team bonding day, something that he agreed with the unit chief that they needed. The team had gone through a lot of changes in the recent months. Knowing one another's abilities was important. He just hoped that Reid had one of his better days out here on Hogan's Alley, remembering some of the not so stellar performances the agent had put in during his time at the academy.

Hotch gave Reid's shoulder a slight squeeze before letting his hand drop to his side as Morgan and Hudson joined the group.

"I'm sure you're all wondering what we're doing out here. Seeing as this team has gone through some major personnel changes over the last few months. Taking that into consideration, I thought some training exercises would be a good way for us all to get to know each other and each other's abilities in a relaxed and relative safe setting. When we're out in the field, it's important to know that whichever team members we might be with, that they're going to have our backs. Now, I've been in this field long enough to know that trust like that needs to be earned and comes with time," Gideon said, having let his gaze move from person to person as he spoke. He didn't miss the slightly guilty looks that Morgan and Hudson had exchanged with one another and was glad that they seemed to be getting his message. "I'm not expecting that a day out on Hogan's Alley is going to miraculously create that feeling, but I do hope it might take us a step in that direction."

"We'll be out here by ourselves this morning, going through some of the same training scenarios that the academy puts the cadets through. This afternoon, I thought it might be best to lighten things up a little bit. I talked Agent Williams into bringing his team out here and we'll have a capture the flag competition. It'll give us a chance to work as a team. Right now though, let's get started on some training exercises. First up, clearing a building," Gideon told them, glancing around to get his bearings. "Follow me," he told them, picking up the box he had brought and heading for the closest house on Hogan's Alley.

Reaching his destination, Gideon put the box back down on the ground, picking up one of the vests and pair of goggles out of the box. As he began to put the vest on, he looked around the group. "Morgan, Hudson, you two are up first," Gideon said. "Your goal is to safely clear the building. Don't shoot anyone that isn't armed and don't get shot yourself. Hotch and I may or may not be waiting for the two of you. Use channel two on the radios and Hotch and I will be on channel 1," he informed them, as he grabbed one of the guns and started loading it with ammo.

Hotch was already donning his own vest and goggles as Morgan and Hudson moved to get their own safety equipment. Gideon finished loading the weapon he was holding and handed it to Hotch. He then picked up another gun and quickly loaded it, as Hudson and Morgan selected their own weapons. Gideon then looked at his two agents.

"Give us five minutes and then come into the building," Gideon instructed them. He changed his gaze to Nichols. "Time it. Don't let them try coming in early."

"Are you implying that we would try to cheat?" Hudson asked.

"Cheat, no. Your partner there," Gideon said, waving a hand in Morgan's direction, "would insist that he was only trying to gain a tactical advantage."

Morgan simply grinned at his Unit Chief's assessment. Without another word, Gideon started for the house he had picked out for the first training exercise with Hotch right behind him. Hudson and Morgan finished loading paintballs into their weapons. When Hudson indicated that the required time had passed, the two agents headed for the house their two superiors had entered leaving Nichols and Reid standing on the street of the fake town.

"Kind of looks like we're standing in a ghost town," Nichols commented, as he glanced around the FBI's training town. "Never been here with so few people." When there was no reply from his companion, Nichols glanced over at him.

Reid was standing once again with his arms folded tightly across his mid-section, as if trying to protect himself. His stance was stiff and Nichols had seen snow with more color than his teammate's face right about now.

"Hey, Junior, don't forget to breathe over there," Nichols said, taking the few steps necessary to be within arms reach of the younger agent. He reached out and touched his shoulder, which caused Reid to jump slightly, though it did finally get him to look in Nichols' direction. "You need to relax, man," Nichols told him, softening the comment with a smile.

"Easy for you to say. You don't have to worry about making a fool of yourself in front of agents who you're trying to earn even a little bit of respect from."

"You'll do fine and you're not the only one on this team for whom these types of scenarios are not their forte," Nichols replied. "My requalification was last month and I was only three hits above not qualifying to carry a fire arm. If it wasn't that Gideon would have absolutely no idea how to deal with the computer stuff without me, he might have tried replacing me a long time ago," he said, knowing he was exaggerating the situation a little but was hoping to put his newest teammate at ease. "I'm good at the computer stuff, that's my strength, so I try not to get too upset when I get left behind on the field work sometimes. It comes with the territory. We all bring something to this team and we all have areas that are our weak spots. Learning each others strengths and weaknesses will make us stronger as a team."

"I get the feeling that Hudson doesn't think I even belong on the team," Reid replied, hesitantly admitting his feelings to his teammate, knowing that Nichols was the only one on the team he would ever be able to. He wasn't sure what kind of reaction he was expecting from the computer expert, but it definitely wasn't the one he got.

Nichols laughed at Reid's admission. It wasn't that he was taking Reid's fear lightly but because the statement couldn't be further from the truth. Not sure how to take Nichols laughter to his admission, Reid looked down at the ground in front him, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"Junior, it isn't that Hudson doesn't think you should be on this team that he is giving you such a hard time," Nichols said, getting his laughter under control. "Whether he wants to admit it or not, Hudson feels threatened by you. Before you joined, he was the newest member on this team, and he worked hard to not only get into the BAU but onto a team."

"I don't understand. I haven't done anything to him."

"You're right, in a way but you're going to find there are more than just a few agents who resent you for just getting a spot on this team. There are a lot of agents with more years of experience who have been trying to get into the BAU. Hudson was overlooked more than once, himself. Now, here you come along, fresh out of the academy, technically not even old enough to be an agent, and you get one of the most coveted positions in the FBI. It might not be fair, but you've made enemies just by getting here. You didn't do anything wrong, but jealousy is one of the uglier sides of human nature."

"So what can I do?"

"Just be yourself. Do your job. Hudson will come around and so will Morgan. They just need time."

"That still doesn't get me through today," Reid replied, looking nervously toward the house that the other four agents were inside of.

"You just graduated from the academy. You should have the easiest time of any of us out here."

"Easy for you to say," Reid muttered under his breath, just loud enough for Nichols to catch it.

Nichols wasn't able to comment though, as Morgan and Hudson came out of the building at that time.

"You said the garage was clear!" Morgan said, as he proceeded Hudson out of the house.

"I thought it was. I have no idea where Hotch was hiding," Hudson replied.

"The trunk of the car," Hotch replied, as he and Gideon followed the other two agents out of the house. "Most cars nowadays have a self-release in the trunk. Comes in handy at times."

"Apparently," Morgan muttered, looking over at Hudson.

"Sorry, man," Hudson said, putting his hands up in a symbol of surrender. "Next time I'll remember to check the trunk."

"Next time, I hope you're the one they shoot," Morgan told him.

"Reid, get the safety gear on," Hotch called out. "You and I are going in next."

"Yes sir," Reid managed to get out, despite the sudden dry feeling to his mouth.

He grabbed a vest out of the box and started putting it on over the long sleeved shirt he was wearing. Nichols meanwhile grabbed one of the remaining guns and began loading it for him.

"So Morgan, I need a partner in crime," Gideon called, standing on the front steps of the house. "Want a chance to get even with Hotch?"

"Most definitely," Morgan replied, heading back toward the house to join the unit chief.

As Morgan and Gideon disappeared into the house, Hotch looked at his watch, timing the five minutes. Nichols had finished loading the paintballs into the gun and handed it to Reid as he finished pulling the safety goggles on.

"Ready?" Hotch asked the younger agent. Reid nodded, as he checked to make sure the radio he was now wearing was on channel 2, though the look on his face made him anything but ready. He had purposely chosen to go through this first scenario with Reid because he knew the new agent would feel most comfortable with him. He and Gideon were hoping to put Reid more at ease with his teammates, and them with him, not make the situation worse. Hotch wanted this to go well for Reid's sake.

When the five minutes had elapsed, Hotch nodded toward the house. With Reid falling into step beside him, they headed toward the building both of them taking up a position on either side of the front door. From his position on the side that the door opened up to, Reid reached out with one hand to grasp the door handle. Looking over at Hotch, he waited for the other agent's nod, before opening the door. Hotch hurried into the building first followed quickly by Reid, both agents scanning the room with their guns at the ready.

The two agents moved quickly through the rooms, clearing them as they went. Even though both doubted that Morgan or Gideon would try Hotch's trick after it was just done, they checked the trunk of the car parked in the garage, being accurate and thorough. Having cleared the first floor, the two agents moved to the steps to start upstairs. About halfway up the flight of stairs, Reid saw a flash of movement on the dark landing above him.

"Hotch, someone's up there," Reid said, in a hushed voice, wanting the older agent to hear him, but not whoever was lurking in the hallway above them.

The words had just been said when the sound of one of the paintball weapons going off could be heard. With both agents aware of the danger above them, they both quickly ducked lower and the paintball passed over Hotch's head and splattered against the wall behind him. Further down the stairs, Reid saw the movement of the gunman in the shadows though he couldn't make out which teammate it was. The few shots that he fired were not very accurate but were close enough to make the person up in the hallway above them move for cover out of Reid's line of fire. Taking advantage of the gunman's distraction, Hotch hurried up the steps and ducked around the corner into the first room he came to which happened to be the bathroom.

Hotch quickly checked the bathroom for any other occupants and then crept back to the doorway. He glanced quickly up and down the hallway by peeking around the corner. Seeing no one, he keyed the radio he was wearing, having switched his to channel two to be on the same frequency as Reid before starting this exercise.

"Reid, where are you at?"

"Still on the stairs," came the whispered reply, through the radio.

"Do you have a visual on the shooter?"

"Negative. They headed toward the front of the house out of my line of sight," Reid responded, his eyes still on the landing above him watching for any movement through the banister above him.

"Okay, I'm going to clear the other room down this hall behind me. Stay where you are and alert me if you see anyone go past the steps up here."

"Copy that."

Hotch moved cautiously into the hallway and made his way quietly to the other door on the short hallway he was on. Reaching the door, he pushed it open and sprung into the room. He checked behind the door he had come through, the closet and under the bed. Seeing no one, he made his way back down the hallway to the corner by the steps. Peering around the corner, he took in the situation.

Reid was midway on the steps, staying close to the railing on the side the shots had come from. There was another door to his left just past the steps. The upstairs hallway was in the shape of an L the long part of the hallway running parallel to the steps. He could see one doorway on that hall from where he was and from being in the house before, knew there was another doorway at the end of the hall, hidden from view by the wall. Whoever had shot at them was either in that room, or down the hall out of sight.

"Okay, Reid, I'm back at the top of the stairs. Come on up, I'll cover for you. Stay low so you don't get in my line of fire."

"Copy," Reid replied.

Glancing briefly down the steps, Hotch saw Reid move to the other side of the steps. The older agent let his attention go back to the area the shooter had disappeared in. As Reid came slowly up the steps, back to the wall and his own gun trained in the same direction as his partner, both agents kept a sharp eye out for any type of movement. As his head broke even with the second story floor, Reid saw the toe of a boot appear at the corner. He moved forward toward the other side of the steps staying low as shots were fired above him. Reid heard Morgan mutter a curse above him.

"Reid, are you okay?" Hotch asked from his position.

"Yes," Reid replied, looking up at his partner.

"It's clear. Get up here but stay low," Hotch said, knowing there were still two more rooms that needed to be cleared.

Doing as he was told, Reid hurried up the steps and ducked in behind Hotch, his back to the wall. Morgan was standing at the railing, one hand draped on the railing and the other holding his gun pointed at the ground. The green splotch of paint in the center of the vest told Reid that Hotch had made another 'kill'.

Cautiously the pair made their way across the landing. Reaching the first door, the two positioned themselves on either side of it. Hotch opened the door, allowing Reid to enter the room, while he stood guard in the hallway.

"Clear," came Reid's call, shortly after entering the room.

Rejoining Hotch in the hallway, the two headed for the last room. Using the same procedure as with the last room, they cleared the last room.

"All clear," Hotch said into the radio.

"Good job. I'm out front with Nichols," came Gideon's reply over the radio.

"We'll be out shortly," Hotch told him, leaving the bedroom they had cleared last, with Reid right behind him. "That's two for two," Hotch told Morgan as he reached the other agent.

"The day's not over yet," Morgan replied as he fell in step beside Hotch as the three agents headed down the steps to the first floor.

* * *

"Bull's-eye," Morgan called out triumphantly, as a yellow paintball splattered dead-center on the vest that Hotch wore.

The sun was directly above them now, as the group carried out a three-on-three gunfight on the streets of Hogan's Alley. It had started out as Gideon, Hudson and Morgan against Hotch, Reid and Nichols. Gideon had been taken out early as Nichols and Reid had laid down fire as a distraction to allow Hotch to sneak up from behind and take out the unit chief. After a couple of close shots, Hudson had finally been able to land a shot on Nichols vest, evening the odds up once again. Now that Morgan had finally gotten revenge for the two 'kills' Hotch had made on him at the beginning of the day, it now left Morgan and Hudson up against Reid.

Morgan heard fire, and looked around to see where it was coming from. Hudson was firing at Reid, as the younger agent made a run for cover. None of the shots hit their mark, as Reid ducked safely behind a tree.

"That many shots and you missed," Morgan called out to his partner.

"He may be a bad shot but he's fast and doesn't make an easy target," Hudson called back from his position.

Morgan laughed. They had the younger agent outnumbered. Silently he motioned to Hudson for the two of them to move up on Reid from either side. Though he might take one of them out, there was no way Reid could take them both out at the same time. From his position behind the tree, Reid realized what they were trying to do. Looking around, Reid analyzed his options. There weren't many but the laundromat was the closest building to him. Deciding that his best bet was to make a run for it and take cover in the building, Reid kept an eye on the two agents closing in on him. If he timed it right, Morgan and Hudson would be momentarily in each other's line of fire if they tried to shoot at him.

"He doesn't have a chance at beating both of them," Gideon commented, as Hotch joined him and Nichols out in front of The Dogwood Inn, watching the contest unfold.

"No, but he sure seems determined not to go down easy. That should earn him a bit of respect from those two," Hotch commented, inclining his head toward where the three agents were still deeply engrossed in their competition.

"I'm just glad I wasn't the first one out," Nichols commented, elbowing Gideon gently in the side from where he stood on the side opposite from Hotch. "Who would have thought our Unit Chief would be so easy to take out."

Gideon smiled. "Yeah, well if it gives you guys something to bond over than it was worth it. I don't plan on going out so easy this afternoon when we face Williams' team."

"How did you ever get Williams to agree to a game of capture the flag?" Hotch asked.

"Yeah, Williams makes Hotch seem laid back," Nichols commented. "Somehow, I think he's going to show up out here with his tie still on."

"You better watch it over there. If I remember correctly someone's yearly review is coming up and guess who is helping with those this time around," Hotch commented, his face serious but to those who knew him well, humor laced the tone of his voice.

"Serious or not, Williams knows the last couple of cases has his team stressed. This afternoon will be a good opportunity for all of us to blow off a little steam," Gideon replied, ignoring the banter that had passed between the two agents and answering Hotch's original question.

"Hey guys, it looks like Junior is making a run for it," Nichols said.

Sure enough, Reid had decided to make a dash for the laundromat, apparently deciding he had better chances in close quarters. As the newest member of the team tried to make it to the building without getting hit, Morgan and Hudson opened fire on him. As Reid had hoped, the other two agents' position put them opposite of each other and one of Morgan's paintballs exploded on the left shoulder of Hudson's vest.

"Hey, you just shot your own partner!" Hudson called out, holding his hands up in defeat, as he looked in Morgan's direction.

"Sorry, man," Morgan commented, as he quit firing, letting Reid escape safely into the laundromat.

"Friendly fire is still dead," Gideon called out.

"Have fun ferreting the little weasel out," Hudson told Morgan, with a wave toward the laundromat. He realized that having Morgan or himself take the other out was exactly what Reid had been trying to achieve.

As Morgan headed cautiously toward the building Reid had taken cover in, Hudson went to join his other teammates.


	14. Capture the Flag

Inside the laundromat, Reid quickly took cover behind a row of washers. With his back against the fake machines, Reid let himself sink to the floor. He took some deep breaths, trying to catch his breath after the mad dash he had just made. He heard voices outside, but couldn't hear what was being said. Was it Hudson and Morgan making plans? Reid wasn't sure if his plan to get one of them caught up in the crossfire had worked or not. Was he still up against both of them or just one of them?

~_I could just end this. Give myself up. I don't have much of a chance to beat even one of them_, ~ Reid thought, knowing that both Hudson and Morgan were better shots than he was. He was a sitting duck. He might be able to avoid them for a little while, but he had no doubts that eventually one of them would take him out. However, deep down he knew he couldn't just surrender. That wouldn't gain him any respect with his teammates.

Reid heard the door to the laundromat open. Someone had come into the building looking for him. Reid got to his feet but remained in a crouched position. They wouldn't know exactly where he was, and he didn't intend on giving away his position. Knowing where the front door was and by listening to the footfalls of whoever had come into the laundromat. Reid could keep a general idea about the position of the person in his head, even without seeing him.

"Nice trick there, Reid," Morgan called out. "You got me to take Hudson out with friendly fire. It's just you and me now."

Somehow, knowing it was down to a one on one match up didn't make Reid feel any better. Morgan was still the better shot. Had more experience than him as well as more tactical training. ~_I don't stand a chance against him_.~

As if reading the younger agent's mind, Morgan spoke again. "I've got the advantage, Reid," Morgan said, as he took cautious steps further into the building. He scanned the room, looking for some sign of his quarry. "I'm the better shot. As soon as you take a shot at me, you're going to give away your position. Given what I've seen so far today, there is little chance of you actually hitting me. All I need is one shot to nail you so why don't you just come out and give up peacefully."

Instead of tempting him to surrender, Morgan's words had only made Reid more determined to try his best to take the other agent out. He might get 'shot' in the process but he was going to go out fighting.

~_He's right though, he's got the advantage. He's going to be able to aim and get a shot off faster than I will unless I can create a diversion_, ~ Reid rationalized, trying to figure out what to do.

* * *

Out on the 'street' Gideon, Hotch, Nichols, and Hudson kept their eyes on the laundromat. They had a limited view from their position, but wanted to keep their distance in case the match up progressed out of the building once again. The only person they could see was Morgan, who walked cautiously around inside, clearly trying to figure out where his quarry was.

"Figures he would be hiding in there," Hudson said out loud, not addressing anyone in particular.

"Agent Reid isn't hiding he took cover," Gideon commented. "Only an idiot would sit out in the open while someone with a gun is looking for you."

"Besides, he's probably trying to think up some nifty little strategy like the one that took you out," Nichols said.

"He got lucky," Hudson muttered, though there was no conviction to the words.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself," Nichols countered. "I guess that girl at the academy got lucky when she beat you at hand-to-hand . . . twice."

"You got beat at hand-to-hand by a woman?" Hotch asked, leaning forward to look past his teammates at Hudson.

"Do you plan on broadcasting that to everyone in the bureau?" Hudson asked, ignoring Hotch and glaring at Nichols.

"I was thinking of limiting it to the BAU, but a mass email to the bureau might be possible . . ."

"Do you guys hear that?" Hudson asked.

"What? I wasn't paying attention," Gideon said a small smile on his face.

"I'm still hung up on the fact that you got beaten by a woman," Hotch told him. He glanced at Gideon. "Perhaps you should arrange for us to spend a morning in the gym."

"Perhaps," Gideon said, his gaze still on the laundromat, the smile still visible.

"You guys are ganging up on me. I'm just going to stay quiet now."

"Wise choice, my friend," Nichols said lightly, clapping a hand on Hudson's shoulder.

* * *

As he continued to listen to Morgan's steps, tracking the older agent's position through them, Reid tried to figure out how he could create a diversion. ~_I need to get Morgan's attention focused in a direction other than mine, _~ Reid thought. It didn't take him long to think of something. Reaching down he untied his one shoe and then made his way to the other end of the line of washers he was hiding behind and then made his way up the side of them. Peering around the edge he saw Morgan at the end of the line of dryers near where he had just come from.

Reid took his shoe and tossed it in the direction of the front door. In the otherwise quiet building, the sound of the shoe as it bounced along the floor was loud. As hoped, Morgan immediately looked in that direction, his gun trained on something that wasn't there. Standing up, Reid aimed at Morgan who had his back partially toward him. As if sensing the movement, Morgan began to turn in Reid's direction. Knowing he was running out of time, Reid squeezed the trigger, sending a paintball zooming in Morgan's direction.

The older agent didn't have time to react to the shot, and the paintball hit the mid-section of his vest as he turned, the green paint of Reid's ammo added to the other shots on the vest that Morgan had taken that day.

"Why you little . . ." Morgan muttered, surprised by the tactics the younger agent had used. As much as he hated getting beat, he had to admit that Reid had handled the situation well. Knowing he was outmatched, Reid hadn't tried to outright beat him, but instead figured out a way to out think him. His eyes fell on his newest team member who was still standing along the side of the row of washers. Lowering his gun to his side, Morgan started walking in Reid's direction. "Good match," Morgan said, holding his right hand out to the younger agent.

Taken by surprise by the gesture, Reid hesitated a moment before shaking hands with his teammate. He had no idea what to say, but realized that he had probably gained at least a little respect from the older agent.

Reid retrieved and put his shoe back on and then the two agents headed back out onto the street of Hogan's Alley. The rest of their team was right outside the building waiting for them.

"Is that fresh paint I see on the vest, man?" Hudson said, laughing as he spoke, his mood improved from a few moments earlier.

"Yeah, okay. Enjoy your laugh," Morgan said, smiling himself, having expected to take a few jokes at his expense.

"Nice shot, Junior," Nichols said, giving Reid a pat on the back.

"Good work this morning, everyone," Gideon said, addressing the whole group. "You're all free until one-thirty. Go get something to eat and then come on back ready to take on Agent Williams' team. This capture the flag match is supposed to be fun but I don't know about you but I would really like to win."

Morgan, Hudson and Nichols all gave shouts of agreement before everyone started taking equipment off and returning it to the boxes. It wasn't long before Hudson and Morgan were walking toward the entrance of Hogan's Alley, Hudson still giving Morgan a hard time. Nichols and Reid were heading toward The Dogwood Inn, where they were going to leave the equipment during the lunch break, both carrying a box. Hotch had picked up the third box, and glanced over at Gideon who was watching the other two agents walk away.

"I thought we had made some progress this morning," Gideon commented, looking away from Morgan and Hudson and in Hotch's direction.

"We did, it's just going to take time," Hotch told him. "At least we know they can work with him when they have to," he added. After the first exercise of clearing the house during which they had gone with comfortable pairings, Gideon had made sure that everyone had gone through an exercise with each member of the team at least once. Some had gone more smoothly than others, Hudson had domineered the hostage negotiation exercise that he had been paired with Reid for and Reid had meekly gone along with it, but they had gotten through them.

"Telling him to keep quiet and out of the way is hardly what I would call working with him," Gideon commented as the two headed toward the inn.

"So we don't send Reid and Hudson out into the field alone for a while. As his training agent, Reid is going to be with me most of the time anyway. It'll be fine."

Gideon nodded, dropping the subject as they got close to the inn and Nichols and Reid. Following a short conversation, Nichols, Gideon and Hotch decided on a place to grab lunch. When asked if the choice was okay with him, Reid merely shrugged his shoulders. As the other three left Hogan's Alley, Reid tagged along, remaining quiet and trying to blend into the background. Several attempts were made by the others to include him in the conversation over the break, but remembering reactions from the day before, Reid kept his answers short, trying not to aggravate anyone else on the team.

* * *

"We're going to split up into two groups," Gideon told the rest of his agents as they were once again gathered on the street of Hogan's Alley. The six of them were huddled out front of the bank, far enough away from Agent Williams and his team that they couldn't be overheard. "Nichols, you and I will protect our flag from the other team, while the rest of you try to find and retrieve their flag," Gideon told them, having talked things out with Hotch during the lunch break. The idea was to get both Morgan and Hudson, especially the latter, working with Reid. Not quite trusting leaving Reid alone with the two of them even in the controlled environment of Hogan's Alley, they had decided on the four-two split. It would allow Hotch to make sure that Morgan and Hudson didn't team up and conveniently leave Reid out of everything. ~_Or feed him to the wolves, so to say_, ~ Gideon added to himself.

"Exactly what good is Reid going to be on offense? We need people who can actually hit what they're aiming for if we're going to take out members of their team," Hudson commented.

Reid, looked down at the ground, looking liked he wanted to sink down into it at the older agent's comment. Gideon was about to respond to the comment when Morgan beat him to it.

"We're going to need someone fast to grab the flag when we find it and Reid's already proved he doesn't make an easy target. You sure fired enough paintballs trying to hit him this morning and I think his vest is the only one that didn't end up with fresh paint on it."

"You want me to go for their flag?" Reid asked in a small voice, clearly not at all thrilled with the idea.

"I think it's a good idea," Hotch said, seeing two benefits from the scenario. First, it would help build Reid's self confidence. Secondly, it would help him gain respect from the other two agents if he were successful. "We'd be providing cover fire of course," he added, seeing the slightly panicked look on the young agent's face.

"Granted paintball is considered one of the safest extreme sports played, but it has still been estimated that there are 45 injuries per 100,000 players every year with 85% of all paintball injuries being eye related."

"No normal person would know that off the top of their head," Morgan muttered under his breath, earning him a scathing look from Gideon.

Morgan's remark was followed closely by Hudson's advice to his newest teammate. "Then keep the goggles on, and you've only have to worry about the other 15 percent of injuries that could happen. Sounds like fairly good odds to me."

"Statistics don't actually work that way . . ."

"How about we save the math lessons for later and concentrate on the paintball match right now," Gideon said, politely cutting the young genius off.

They quickly finished discussing their strategy and deciding on a place where to place their flag. They had finally chosen a spot when Williams called out.

"Your team ready to get beat, Jason?" the other team leader called out to his colleague. As Nichols had predicted, SSA Carl Williams was indeed still wearing a tie with the dress shirt and slacks he was wearing. The black high-top sneakers on his feet were the only break from the professional look that the veteran agent, who was three years from retirement, had allowed.

"We're ready, but we don't plan on being beat," Gideon replied.

"We'll see," Williams replied. "Twenty minutes to place the flag and then the match starts?"

"Right," Gideon replied. The two team leaders synchronized their watches and set the start time for the match, before they turned in opposite directions and lead their teams to where they were going to hide the flag.

Gideon's team headed for The Dogwood Inn. The plan was to place the flag on top of the hotel, the tallest building on Hogan's Alley. The high ground would give the two defenders the best view of the rest of the area, and also give them a spot easy to defend. The goal of the match was for one of the attacking team's members to retrieve the opponent's flag and get it safely to the welcome to Hogan's Alley sign at the entrance of the facility without getting hit by enemy fire.

Though Agent Williams had lead his team in a different direction and they were no longer in sight, Gideon and his team decided to create a diversion. As the others headed toward the hotel, Hotch and Nichols headed down the street to the pool hall. If the other team had decided to have someone watching their movements, they wanted to leave them guessing as to exactly where they were leaving the flag.

At the end of the twenty minutes, Hotch, Morgan, Reid and Hudson were gathered in an alley between a shop and one of the houses on the street. The match was officially on and the four attackers were ready to get started in their search for the flag.

* * *

An hour later, Hotch and his companions had located the other team's flag. Instead of hiding it at one of the buildings that lined the street, Williams' team had picked a tree in the woods behind the buildings. Hotch and Morgan were currently at the end of an alley between buildings, surveying the area. Though none of the opposing team members were in sight, Hotch was sure there was at least one person guarding the flag, despite the fact that they had managed to take two of their opponents out already.

"Gideon to Hotch."

Hotch reached up and keyed the radio he was wearing. "Go ahead."

"Looks like they've figured out that our flag is on top of the hotel," Gideon reported. "We've got three of them across the street, taking cover. Chances are they're planning an assault."

"So that leaves only one of them unaccounted for," Hotch said looking around the wooded area that lay in front of them. There were plenty of places to hide out there, the question was, where were they hiding? "Do you two need help?"

"I think we'll be okay. I'm staying on the roof. Nichols is down in the lobby waiting to ambush anyone who tries to enter the hotel."

"Okay, let us know if you need backup. Hotch out."

Hotch looked over at the two trees that he knew Hudson and Reid were taking cover behind. He could just make out the black of Hudson's shirt against the one tree trunk. He looked over his shoulder at Morgan. "It's four on one but we need to figure out where their guy is hiding. Are you up to being the sacrificial lamb?"

"What's your idea?" Morgan asked.

"You make a charge for the flag and draw their fire. While they're concentrating on you, Reid can make his own attempt for the flag. Once he fires, we'll know where the defender is at, and can try to take him out."

Morgan nodded his agreement. Hotch relayed the plan to the other two and moments later Morgan was making his way out of the alley and toward the flag, trying to use trees and bushes for some cover as he was making his way toward the tree where the green cloth was waving. Off to his right he could see Reid moving behind the heavier foliage near him to get closer to the opponent's flag. Morgan was half way there before the first shot came from his left. Diving to the ground, Morgan managed to dodge the first bullet. Scrambling for cover behind a nearby bush, Morgan heard his two other teammates open fire. Crouching behind the bush, he opened fire in the direction the shot had come from. With three of them firing in the opponent's direction, Reid made a sprint for the flag.

Reid snagged the flag from the tree and made a sprint for the trees near Hudson's position. The agent ducked behind a tree as a blue paintball splattered on the trunk of the tree. Winded, Reid leaned against the tree trunk taking some deep breaths.

From his position behind the bush, Morgan finally got a glimpse of the defender. The enemy agent was on his radio and not currently returning fire nor did he seem to be paying much attention to what was going on. Taking advantage of that, Morgan kept low and tried to creep closer to the defender's position. Getting closer he took notice of the blond pony tail and realized which member of Williams' team was defending the flag. He had a clear shot and as he took aim, the defender finally noticed how close Morgan had gotten. As the defender turned her gun on him, Morgan squeezed the trigger of his own weapon, catching the defender square in the chest.

"Dammit," came Agent Jenna Jenkins, cursing as she realized she had gotten hit.

"Hey guys, at least two of the three that were lurking around the first floor of the lobby just left," came Nichols voice over the radio. "Chances are they're heading your way."

"Copy that," Hotch said, as he got eye contact with the other three agents. He motioned for them to regroup.

As they headed toward Hotch's position, Reid held the flag out to Hudson.

"Take it. Chances are she relayed which one of us took the flag which means I'm going to be the target. There's a better chance of you making it to the sign than me," Reid told him.

Hudson took the flag from Reid and stuffed it in his pocket without a word. He couldn't come up with an argument to the younger agent's logic but he wasn't about to admit that it was a good idea.

As the three agents rejoined him in the alley, Hotch addressed them. "The object now is to allow Hudson to get to the sign," he informed the other three, having seen the exchange of the flag by the two agents. "Try to protect him as much as possible."

Morgan and Reid nodded and then Hotch led them out of the alley. Knowing their opponents would be coming from the street side of the buildings, Hotch lead his team in the direction of the entrance to Hogan's Alley by moving along the back of the buildings. Morgan fell to the rear, to keep watch for anyone trying to sneak up behind them. Carefully moving past each alley way, the four made their way to the last building. Reaching the corner of the house on the end of the street, Hotch checked around the corner. With no one in sight, he started leading them up the side of the building.

"I'm out of the game, guys," came Nichols report over the radio, as Hotch reached the front corner of the building.

Hotch peered around the edge. Coming carefully down the street were two members of the opposing team. If someone had taken out Nichols that meant that the third person was probably still making an attempt for their flag.

"Okay, we've got two of them heading this way. Spread out, and take cover. We need to keep them occupied so that Hudson can reach the sign."

His agents nodded. As Hotch took aim at one of his opponents, Reid moved behind him and made a dash for another covered position. The younger agent, immediately drew fire but made it safely across the street and behind a mailbox that was on the sidewalk there. Next, Hudson made a dash for a tree that wasn't actually part of the street scene of Hogan's Alley and put him closer to the sign. Morgan was the next one to move out, making a dash for the cover of an old Buick parked along the street.

As his three teammates tried to keep their opponents pinned down, Hudson tried to make progress toward the Welcome to Hogan's Alley sign. A couple of Reid's shot went well over the head of one of the opposing agent's heads.

"Do you even know how to aim that thing?" came Williams' taunt as he returned fire at Reid.

Reid felt his cheeks grow warm and was glad that none of his teammates were close enough to notice. Checking over his shoulder, he could see that Hudson had gotten as close as he could to the sign through moving from one cover position to another. There was now only open area between him and the sign.

"They've got our flag," Gideon reported over the radio.

They all realized that it was now a matter of which team got their flag to the sign first. Gideon's team had the advantage in that they had positioned themselves between their opponents and the sign. All Hudson had to do was reach the end point with the flag he had. Deciding to create a distraction to allow Hudson to reach the sign, Reid left his own cover and made it look like he was heading for the sign himself.

As their two opponents took aim at Reid, Hudson took the opportunity to make his own run toward the sign. Reid was able to dodge some of the shots, but finally he felt the sting of a paintball as it hit him in the back of his right arm. Reid put his hands up in surrender to keep the opposing agents from continuing to shoot at him. Meanwhile, Hudson was just reaching the welcome sign. Hudson touched the sign with his left hand and then got the flag out of his pocket, holding it up triumphantly. They had managed to win the capture the flag match.

Nichols, who had been watching the activity from the sidelines with the members of the other team who had been taken out, headed for his teammate. Morgan joined him, both intending to give Hudson congratulations. Hotch headed in their direction at a slower pace, taking a slight detour to head in Reid's direction.

"Good thinking and good teamwork," Hotch said, placing a hand on Reid's shoulder as he reached the younger agent.

"Thank-you, sir."

"Good work today."

Reid nodded as Hotch headed toward the other three agents. At a slower pace he followed his supervisor, smiling at the brief words of praise. ~_Let Hudson have his glory_, ~ Reid thought, more than happy with the recognition from Hotch even if the others didn't notice. He didn't need the attention. He had helped in bringing about the victory for the team and knowing that was enough for him.

As Reid and Hotch joined their teammates, Nichols reached out and mussed up Reid's hair. "Good job, Junior," the older agent told him, as Hotch offered his congratulations to Hudson.


	15. Social Interactions

**AN: To all my readers - you guys are awesome. I'm still awestruck every time I look at the number of reviews, favs, and alerts that this story has accumulated! I'm very honored that everyone seems to be enjoying the story so much. Thanks for your support!**

* * *

Morgan stood at the bar inside The Shield Bar and Grill, a popular hangout for the law enforcement and military personnel in the area of the nation's capital. He had just placed an order with the bartender, getting another drink for both him and Jenkins, whom he had gone through the academy with. Following their match at Hogan's Alley both BAU teams had decided to go out for dinner and drinks together. Turning, Morgan let his eyes travel around the bar.

Haley had joined Hotch, and the couple were sitting at a table with Gideon, Agent Williams, and Mrs. Williams. Hudson was sitting at a nearby table with Jenkins and her teammates, Agents Zell and Trent. His seat was empty between Hudson and Jenkins. Nichols had joined the technical analyst for Williams' team, Mark Carlton whose fiancee was currently practically sitting in his lap. The newer agent that had recently joined that team was also with them, but Morgan couldn't remember the guy's name. He had transferred in from the Arkansas field office and the accent was a dead give away whenever he spoke.

"Here you go, man," the bartender said, getting Morgan's attention. Morgan turned back to the bar to see his beer and Jenkins' Jack and Coke sitting there.

Morgan paid for the drinks, dropped a tip in the nearby tip jar, and picking up the glasses, headed back to the table. On his way, he realized that there was one member of the group that he hadn't accounted for. Surveying the three tables, he looked again for Reid. The younger agent had been sitting at the table with Hotch and Gideon but he definitely wasn't there anymore. Morgan scanned the rest of the barroom, and spotted Reid trying to make his way through the crowd in the general direction of the door.

~_Guess he's had enough of this scene_, ~ Morgan thought, as he continued back to his own table. Reaching it, he placed the Jack and Coke down in front of Jenkins before slipping into his own chair.

"Thanks," Jenkins said, as Trent continued the story he was currently telling. Somehow the group had gotten on the subject of their experiences during their time at the academy.

Only half listening to the other agent, Morgan looked back in the direction he had last seen Reid. The younger agent was now standing toe to toe with a guy about two inches taller than the lanky agent and had the build of an ox. Even from where he was sitting, he could tell that the big man did not look happy. ~_What has he gotten himself into? _~ Morgan thought, as he watched the scene. He wasn't the only spectator, as Morgan noticed several other guys at the nearby pool table had stopped their game and were watching the confrontation.

"What's going on?" Hudson asked, noticing that Morgan's attention was elsewhere. He followed his friend's gaze and soon spotted Reid himself. The others at the table had also caught on and were looking that way.

"Maybe we should go give him some back-up?" Morgan asked.

"Why? Reid should be able to talk his way out of whatever he managed to do to get himself into the situation. Of course it was probably his mouth that got him into the situation to begin with," Hudson replied, picking up his glass and taking a drink. He had already lost interest in the situation.

"How old is that guy anyway?" Zell asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Twenty-two," Morgan replied, as he watched the big guy take another step toward Reid. He couldn't see his teammate's face from where he was sitting.

"He looks about eighteen," Zell commented, turning back around to see Morgan start to get to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Hudson asked.

"To see what's going on," Morgan replied.

Hudson shook his head and muttered something under his breath that no one at the table caught.

"It looks like Agent Hotchner is beating you to it, Morgan," Trent chimed in, spotting Hotch making his way through the crowd.

Morgan sat back down, more than willing to let Hotch handle the situation.

"You guys really should be nicer to him," Jenkins said, turning her head to look at the two agents to her right. "He doesn't seem like such a bad guy and telling the bartender that his ID was fake wasn't funny, Hudson."

"You only think that because you have no sense of humor," Hudson told her, grinning as he recalled the incident at the beginning of the night. He had been standing behind Reid when the younger man had ordered a scotch. The bartender had then asked to see Reid's ID. As the younger man had gotten it out without protest, Hudson had stepped forward and told the bartender that the ID was fake, as Reid had handed over his driver's license. The bartender had scrutinized the card, and then looked at Reid and then Hudson. It was clear that the guy wasn't sure what to think. Hudson had been sure the bartender was going to refuse to give Reid alcohol when Gideon had stepped in and ruined the fun.

"Trying to get someone in trouble is not funny. What if the bartender had believed you?"

Hudson shrugged his shoulders.

Morgan glanced back in the direction that Reid had been in. The big guy and his pals had gone back to their game of pool and Hotch was walking with Reid toward the front door.

"Agent Gideon didn't seem all that amused by the joke either," Jenkins added, when her question didn't get an answer.

"Yeah, well Gideon's sense of humor is about as good as yours," Hudson replied.

"Besides, I don't think he's too happy with you after the hostage negotiation scenario this morning either," Morgan added with a grin.

"Oh, please do tell," Zell said, interested by the differences in Morgan and Hudson's reactions. While Morgan was amused, Hudson was shooting daggers at his friend.

"Gideon paired Hudson and Reid up for the hostage negotiation scenario," Morgan said, ignoring Hudson and looking across the table at Zell. "Gideon's playing the part of the hostage taker. Hudson is talking to Gideon, trying to talk him into letting his hostage go, and Gideon is getting into the part, talking completely off the wall. I don't know what Reid was saying to Hudson, but all of the sudden Hudson turns to face Reid and tells him to 'shut up, and stay out of the way'."

"He was quoting statistics and telling me that trying to reason with someone who is suffering from a break in reality won't work," Hudson said defensively.

"Well, he had a point," Trent commented.

"What didn't help matters was Morgan, who was playing the victim, telling me to stop arguing with my partner and actually do something to save him."

Jenkins, Zell and Trent all started laughing at that point.

"Hey, I was just trying to keep things realistic. If some crazy person had a gun pointed at my head, the last thing I would want to see is the cops arguing amongst themselves. That wouldn't instill a whole lot of confidence in me."

"What did Reid do?"

"What do you think he did?" Morgan asked, not expecting an answer from the other agents. He continued with barely a pause. "Reid got this look of a little kid who had just been scolded on his face, and didn't say a word through the rest of the scenario."

"At least the new guy listens well," Zell offered.

"Would you like to have him on your team? We'll take Jenkins. At least she's a decent shot," Hudson said.

"I don't know, that shot he took me out with, in the laundromat, was fairly decent," Morgan commented.

"Took you out in the laundromat?" Jenkins asked. She looked around Morgan at Hudson. "I think it's your turn to spill the beans on Morgan," she told him.

Between Hudson and Morgan the tale of the three-on-three gunfight that had taken place that morning began to get told.

* * *

Saturday evening, Spencer Reid got into his car and headed for Agent Hotchner's house. His supervisor had invited him over for dinner at his house before he had left the bar last night. He had said that Nichols was going to be there with his family and as Reid couldn't think of any excuse not to go, he had agreed to it. Despite having had dinner with the Hotchners the night after his graduation, he was still nervous.

Reaching the house, Reid pulled his car into the driveway and parked it behind an unfamiliar van. ~_Nichols must have already gotten here_, ~ Spencer thought, as he got out of his car. Slowly, he made his way up the walkway and up the front steps. He rang the front doorbell even though what he wanted to do was turn around and go back home, maybe have a Star Wars marathon by himself.

It wasn't long before the door was opened by Hotch.

"Hi Reid," Hotch greeted him. "Come on in," he said, stepping to one side to give the younger man room to enter.

Reid stepped inside and Hotch closed the front door behind him. "Why don't you come have a seat in the living room? Chad is already there. Haley and Vanessa are in the kitchen finishing up dinner, I'll introduce you to Vanessa later as well as the kids who are out in the back yard."

Reid nodded and followed Hotch into the living room. Nichols was sitting on the couch watching the news. He looked up as his two co-workers walked into the living room.

"Hey, Junior. Glad you could join us," Nichols said, in way of a greeting.

"Hi," Reid replied quietly.

Reid took a seat in the easy chair near the couch while Hotch sat down on the end of the couch opposite of Nichols. The two older men continued the discussion they had been having before Hotch had left to answer the door, making several attempts to get Reid involved in it. Not having had the best record with speaking with his co-workers the last couple of days, Reid said very little, figuring he was less likely to say the wrong thing that way.

It wasn't long before they heard the backdoor open and the sound of children's voices as they entered the house. A few minutes later the kids were rushing into the living room. The youngest and only boy of the three, went to fire his Nerf gun at the younger girl he was chasing, the girl similarly armed, and instead of hitting its intended target, the foam projectile hit Reid in the back of the head.

Reid turned to look at the kid, completely unsure of what to say or do. He was a guest in the house and he didn't even know these kids. At the same time, he didn't want to keep getting hit by the toys.

"Evan, what did I tell you about your Nerf guns?" Nichols said, from his place on the couch. The tone of his voice was stern, which was in complete contrast to the easy-going tone of voice he always used in the office.

"That they are only to be used outside," Evan replied quietly, standing still, and looking down at the floor as he spoke.

"That's right," Nichols said in response to his son's answer. "Now why don't you apologize to Agent Reid."

Evan looked up at Reid as he spoke this time. "I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Reid said.

"Dinner should be just about done. Why don't you go get washed up?" Nichols told his son, his voice softening as he spoke to his son now.

"Yes, sir," Evan replied.

"Karen, you too."

"Yes, Uncle Chad," the younger girl replied, following her cousin out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Dad," the older girl said. "They didn't tell me they were heading inside."

"It's okay, Tara," Nichols replied. "Reid, this is my oldest, Tara. Tara this is a new co-worker of mine, Agent Reid," he continued introducing his teenage daughter to Reid.

Reid exchanged greetings with the girl, who then went to check up on the younger children. Reid watched the girl leave the room before looking back to his co-worker. He wanted to ask about why the niece was with him, but didn't feel comfortable just coming out and asking his co-worker as he still felt he didn't know him all that well.

Seeing the question in Reid's face, Nichols provided an answer for the unasked question. "Karen is my sister's, Vanessa, girl. Vanessa's husband, Steve, walked out on the two of them about four years ago out of the blue. Took us two years to locate him so that Vanessa could file for a divorce. After he left, my sister struggled to support herself and Karen, despite the child support that Steve sometimes manages to send on time, and my wife and I helped out where we could. When Elaine was killed three years ago in a bank robbery, Vanessa and Karen moved in with me. I needed someone to help with Evan and Tara, especially when the job took me out of town, and it got Vanessa and Karen out of the run-down apartment she had been living in because she insisted that she wasn't going to crowd me and my family by moving in with us. After my wife's death, I guess Vanessa didn't see moving in as a handout, as the arrangement benefited both of us."

"I'm sorry about your wife."

"Thank-you. You would have liked Elaine. She was sweet. Always saw the good in everything. Tara is a lot like her mother actually. She's been a big help with her younger brother and cousin these last few years."

"Dinner is ready," Haley said from the doorway of the living room as Nichols finished speaking.

Hotch turned off the TV and the three men followed Haley into the dinning room. As people began to find their places around the table, Nichols took the time to introduce Reid to his sister. Before long, the five adults and three children were seated around the table. The dishes were passed around the table, the conversation between the adults already starting. As before, both Nichols and Hotch made a conscious attempt to keep Reid included in the conversation, this time aided by Haley, who had been the one who had insisted that her husband extend the dinner invitation to him, not wanting the young man to feel isolated as he was alone in the area. It didn't take long for Vanessa to pick up on what the other three were doing, and Reid found it impossible not to involve himself in the conversation that was going on about different current events. Unlike Morgan and Hudson, the other four adults at the table tolerated the young genius's occasional rants on different topics with a smile, though Nichols found ways to discreetly put an end to a few of the longer ones.

The children, soon bored with the adult conversation that was taking place, quickly finished their meals and asked to be excused.

"Go ahead," Nichols told them. "I want you to stay in the house though and don't get the Nerf guns out," he added, directing the last part of the command more to his son than the two girls.

All three kids made some type of affirmative reply before heading in the direction of the living room.

"All three of them are so well behaved," Haley commented as she watched the three children leave the room.

"Only because we're here. At home Evan and Karen spend most of their free time fighting," Nichols replied.

"So did we when we were younger," Vanessa reminded him.

"That's only because you would never leave me alone," Nichols told her. "She was such a pest as a kid. Always following me around everywhere," he added, though his tone was playful and the sibling love easy to see in the playful banter.

"Yeah, I remember what having younger siblings were like," Hotch chimed in.

"When are the two of you going to have some children of your own?" Vanessa asked looking at Haley as she asked the question.

"We've been trying," Haley replied, as she cast a loving look at her husband. "Hopefully it will be soon."

The conversation turned away from children as the five of them continued to share the evening together, the kids playing happily together in the living room.

* * *

"One more story," Evan pleaded as Nichols closed the book he had been reading to his son and Karen.

"Not tonight. It's past your bedtime as it is," Nichols told him, the two younger kids having been allowed to stay up a little later due to their evening over at the Hotchners. "Go ahead and get in bed, and I'll be in to say goodnight shortly."

With a sigh of disappointment, Evan climbed down from the bottom of Karen's bed, and headed out of her room and toward his own. Nichols leaned over and gave his niece a goodnight kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight, Sweetie," he told her.

"Goodnight, Uncle Chad," Karen replied.

Nichols stood up, placed the book he had in its place on the bookshelf, before heading to the dresser to turn on the small lamp that sat there. He then left the room, switching off the main lights as he did so. He crossed the hall to his son's room, and tucked the boy in bed before heading back downstairs. His sister and daughter were in the dinning room working on the contraption that was Tara's current science assignment.

Contraption was the only word Nichols could find to describe the Rube Goldberg inspired machine that his fifteen-year-old daughter was working on as a science project. The assignment had been to create a Rube Goldberg machine that would crack an egg. The first part was the design phase in which the students developed the concept on paper. Their teacher than looked these over, met with each student to discuss changes to correct things that wouldn't work or to simplify the designs in some cases. The final phase was for each student to build the machine they had designed and to successfully demonstrate it in class. Nichols was impressed with what his daughter had come up with, and the progress she had made so far on her machine. As he walked into the dinning room, the building process had apparently hit a snag.

"Perhaps your father can help you get it working?" Vanessa was saying.

"Help get what working?" Nichols asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"My machine. I'm four steps away from the end but I can't get this one step to work correctly. I compensate for one thing and something else goes wrong," Tara replied.

"Well, your first mistake was asking your aunt for help. Science never was her strong suit," Nichols said lightly, as he joined the other two at the table.

Vanessa swatted at her older brother playfully. "Brat," she told him. "At least I never failed a class."

"Who needs to diagram sentences anyway?" Nichols replied, knowing she was referring to his failing grades in English.

"I know not to ask Dad for help in Spanish either," Tara replied, with the knowing tone of a teenager.

"I told you to take French like your old man did," Nichols told her, as he reached for the design his daughter had on paper, trying to understand exactly what it was she was trying to do.

A half hour and several modifications later, the machine still stopped working at the same point. The egg that was supposed to end up cracked, with its contents in the bowl beneath it, still sat intact in its perch. Feeling as frustrated as his daughter, Nichols reached out and picked up the egg. Hitting it on the side of the bowl, he emptied its contents into the bowl.

"There the egg has been cracked," he said.

"Dad!" the teenager said, trying not to laugh. "This project is due on Wednesday," she told him.

"We'll work on it again tomorrow. This thing is just like computer programming, when you get stuck on one thing for too long, walk away and come back later. Besides, I think I know someone who might be able to help us figure it out," Nichols told his daughter. "Do you have other homework to do?"

"Yes. Reading for English and math, which I need help with too. I attempted it last night and my answers weren't matching the back of the book."

"Well, go get your math book and meet me in the kitchen then," he told her.

As Tara ran off to retrieve her math book, Nichols looked at his watch. It was a little after nine-thirty. ~_It shouldn't be too late to call him_, ~ Nichols thought, as he took out his cell phone. He looked up the recently added number and pressed the button to place the call. He got an answer on the second ring.

"Hello."

"Hey, Junior. It's Nichols. Have any plans for tomorrow?"

"No. Why?" came the hesitant reply of his newest teammate.

"Because my daughter has a ninth grade science project that has both of us stuck. She's building a Rube Goldberg machine. I figure with that engineering degree you got, perhaps you can tell us what we're doing wrong."

"Yeah, I can take a look at it," Reid replied.

"Great. I appreciate it," Nichols told him, happily. After agreeing to meet at noon the following day, after Nichols and his family attended church, and giving Reid directions to his house, Nichols retrieved the bowl with the egg in it from the contraption, picked up the egg shells sitting nearby and headed for the kitchen. He'd help his daughter with her math and then he was ready to call it a night himself.


	16. Veiled Admission

**AN: Well, I wasn't going to post today, but as I ended up working on the addition to this chapter for two hours after I said I was going to go get some sleep, I decided I might as well send it through the word processor's grammar tool, and go ahead and post it. The addition is for all those reviewers who wanted to know more about the encounter Reid had with the guy at the bar. Hope you enjoy the explanation. Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and alerts for this story. You guys are amazing!**

* * *

Tara let out a squeal of delight as the pendulum, with a roughly arrow-shaped rock, swung through the air where the egg should be on her machine. The Rube Goldberg machine, minus the egg in the correct place, had just run from start to finish without a flaw. Nichols looked up at the clock which showed it was a little after one o'clock. It had taken an hour, but it looked as though his daughter's science project actually worked.

"Okay, let's reset it, and run it with the egg this time to be sure," Reid said, as he stood beside the fifteen-year-old.

Nichols had the distinct feeling that Reid could have had the machine running without a flaw and made improvements on it forty minutes ago. However, instead of simply telling her how to fix the machine, he had lead her through the process step by step. Reid patiently asked questions that would lead her in the right direction or would explain some concept and let her apply it to making the machine work. There had also been a few side speeches that Nichols had a feeling went beyond the scope of his daughter's ninth grade science class but as Tara had actually seemed interested he hadn't intervened, especially after the numerous times he had heard the teenager say that math and science were boring. The fact that she was not only paying attention to what Reid was saying, but asking questions, amazed him.

It wasn't long before the machine was reset, and the raw egg placed in its cradle above the bowl. As Tara once again set the machine in motion, the three of them watched as each step of the machine executed on its way to complete the final task. Once again each step executed without a flaw, and this time the swinging rock hit the egg, breaking the shell and causing the contents of the egg to fall into the bowl below. The no longer intact shell fell from its perch into the bowl too, not that it mattered. The goal was to simply break the egg.

With another squeal, Tara threw her arms around Reid, giving him a quick hug. "Thank-you so much."

"You did the work. I just guided you through the process," Reid stammered, his cheeks flushing from the teen's gesture.

Unphased by Reid's reply, Tara turned to look at her Dad. "Who would have thought you'd know any cool people, Dad."

"Does that make me cool by association?" Nichols asked, from his spot at the end of the table, straddling a chair he had turned backwards.

"No, but it does earn you points for the world's greatest Dad award," Tara told him. She moved to the end of the table and gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I guess I can live with that," Nichols said. "Though now this world's greatest Dad candidate insists that you clean this up, and clear the table so we can eat when your aunt gets the meal ready."

"I think you just lost points again," Tara replied lightly, even as she picked up the bowl with the egg in it. "Thanks again, Dr. Reid," the teen said cheerfully as she headed out of the room.

"You're welcome," Reid replied.

"So, Junior, you're going to stay and eat with us right. Vanessa's making lasagna and garlic bread today. She makes it almost as good as our mom use to."

Reid shrugged his shoulders in reply. It wasn't that he didn't want to but he also didn't want to impose on them.

"I'll take that as a yes," the older man said. "We've got about twenty minutes until the food is done, Vanessa likes to have the midday meal done around one-thirty on the occasion that we're all here to enjoy it. Have you ever played pool?"

Reid shook his head in reply.

"I think I've got time to teach you the basics before hand and then we can try a game after we eat," Nichols said, getting up from his chair. He crossed over to where Reid was still standing, put a hand across the younger man's shoulders and lead him in the direction of the family room.

* * *

"Okay, Junior, I thought you said you haven't played this game before," Nichols said as he watched the ten ball drop easily into the pocket that Reid had called. It was second ball Reid had pocketed in as many shots. Nichols had already sunk the two, six, and three on his first turn.

"I haven't," Reid said as he surveyed the table.

"You could have fooled me."

"The key to the game is really just understanding the laws of physics which dictate how the balls are going to move on the table. Where I hit the cue ball with the stick determines if the ball rolls without slipping and whether you have backspin or forward spin on the ball. Newton's first, second, and third laws of motion will tell you how the balls will react to one another due to the energy put into the system by striking the ball with the cue. For example, with the twelve ball sitting so close to the corner pocket, I would need the cue ball to hit the twelve ball with no angle, side, bottom or top spin so that the cue ball would stop upon collision with the twelve ball and not roll into the pocket too, according to Newton's third law."

"Well, let's see you put Newton's third law into practice there, Junior," Nichols said with a grin.

Lining up the shot, Reid hit the white ball with his cue stick. However, the shot wasn't straight on, and the cue ball followed the twelve into the pocket.

"Theory is only going to take you so far," Nichols told him, retrieving the cue ball. Choosing a spot, he placed the cue ball on the table and called his shot. Nichols expertly bounced the cue ball off the side rail, into the four ball which rolled into the far corner pocket. "That is what we call putting the theory of collisions, friction, rotation, and angle of incidence and reflection into practice and look, I've set myself up perfectly to sink the seven in the side pocket."

Nichols did just that and then looking to where the one and the five were decided that he didn't have any decent shots. Instead of taking one, and missing and inadvertently lining up a good shot for Reid, he intentionally fouled.

"Okay, Junior. Take another stab at putting all that theory you've got up there in your head into practice."

"I didn't mean to imply that you didn't understand the physical properties behind the game, I was just trying to . . ."

"Whoa, Junior, relax. There's no need to get defensive on me. This is just a friendly game, right?"

Reid nodded.

"I was just messing with you a little. You probably do understand the physics of this game better than I do, and there are probably things you could teach me, but most people are not going to want a physics lesson while they're playing pool."

"Yeah, I found that out on Friday."

"That guy at the bar?" Nichols asked. "You tried to give pool shooting tips to him?"

"Well not really tips. You see I accidentally bumped his arm while walking by and messed up his shot, though he wasn't going to make the shot anyway with the angle he was lining it up at."

"Which let me guess, you pointed it out to him?"

Reid nodded. "In retrospect, it probably wasn't such a good idea."

"That's putting it mildly. Okay, lesson one in Nichols Tips to Survival - when faced with an angry opponent that is bigger than you and the use of a gun is not authorized, simply apologize and walk away whether you're at fault or not."

"Got it," Reid said, with a small smile. "Got any tips on how to deal with co-workers that hate you?"

"Are you talking about Hudson and Morgan?" Nichols asked. When Reid nodded, the computer expert smiled slightly as he continued. "Morgan and Hudson don't hate you," he told him. At Reid's skeptical look, he decided to amend the statement. "Okay, Morgan doesn't hate you. Hudson . . . maybe he does. My words of wisdom to you - just give it time, Junior. Do your job to the best of your ability and they'll come around. You already earned some points in Morgan's point of view on Friday. He still can't believe you took him out on that one-on-one match-up."

"I got lucky."

"No, you used your head. You knew you couldn't defeat him straight on so you created a diversion. Thinking like that is what is going to keep you and the agents you're with, out in the field, alive."

"I didn't give a very good showing of myself on other accounts though, especially the hostage negotiation."

"Yeah, well you can't take full responsibility for that fiasco. Hudson's people skills do need some work. You're doing fine, Junior. As for some other advice, we're going to have to teach you to determine when not to take things people say so seriously. There's a lot of banter thrown around at the office and among the team. It's a coping mechanism for dealing with the stresses of the job. Try not to take it all to heart."

"It's hard not to," Reid said quietly.

"I know it is, Junior, especially after being the recipient of a lot of meanspirited teasing over the years. Give it time though, and you'll learn the difference and you'll find out that those who just do and say things to be mean, are the people's whose opinions don't count and no matter what, just remember, I'm on your side, Junior."

Reid, his gaze on the pool table in front of him, nodded in acknowledgment to Nichol's words.

"I do believe it's your turn," Nichols said, deciding it was time to move away from the serious conversation that had just taken place.

* * *

On Tuesday, at five minutes to ten and a coffee cup in hand, SSA Derek Morgan walked into the conference room. Reid was already seated at the table, a cup of coffee in front of him. The younger agent glanced briefly in Morgan's direction as the dark-skinned agent took his seat, without even a glance in his direction.

Reid felt more confused than ever. Earlier today, Morgan had stepped up to his defense when the security guards at the front entrance of the building had decided to give Reid a hard time for their amusement. Like Hudson at the bar on Friday, they decided to harass him about being too young to be there. Morgan, who had known the guards by name, had intervened right about the time the two guards had started joking about needing to conduct a strip search to make sure he wasn't sneaking anything in. Now it was like Morgan didn't even see him. Reid wasn't sure how to take it.

Hotch was standing at the bulletin board, helping Gideon put photos up on it. The screen that was usually used during briefings was dark.

"What's with the computers this morning?" Morgan asked, having seen the memo posted about the computers being down until further notice. Morgan had also noted that he hadn't seen Nichols all morning either, which was unusual. The computer specialist usually surfaced for at least one cup of coffee before the morning briefing.

"Apparently the FBI database got hacked early this morning," Hotch replied, pushing a push-pin through a photo. "Nichols got called in early to help with the situation. The TSU is working on the issue. Chances are they'll bring the Cyber Division in on it to track the hacker."

"They don't want anyone using the system for anything until they are sure it's secure again."

"I thought the bureau had protection in place to keep that from happening?" Morgan questioned, from his spot next to Reid.

"They do," came the answer from behind him. Morgan looked over his shoulder at the door he had just came through to see Agent Chad Nichols standing in the doorway. "Whoever hacked the system bypassed the firewalls and security measures that are in place and I plan on finding out exactly how they did it," he said with more vehemence in his voice than Morgan had ever heard from the normally easy going agent.

"You sound like this is a personal attack," Morgan commented.

"For me it is. I helped design the system that is currently in place. When I find out what crack this guy slipped through I'm going to make sure it is sealed so tight it'll be like trying to break into Fort Knox if they try it again," Nichols told him.

~_Which also tells me why he was called in to help with the situation_, ~ Morgan thought.

"The main reason I stopped by is to let you know the network has been deemed secure. You can use emails and other applications safely. The hacker seems to only have gotten into the database, and we're still working on that issue. The only answer to queries to the database that you're going to get at this time is the message - have a nice day, along with a yellow smiley face," Nichols told them as Hudson squeezed past Nichols and into the room.

Hudson gave the computer specialist a quizzical look as he took a seat at the table. Morgan tried to stifle the laugh he felt coming on and was only half successful.

"Personally, I thought the last time the bureau's system was hacked was more entertaining," Nichols commented.

The remark was met with four blank stares.

"There was another time?" Hotch replied.

"Yeah, it was before you would have joined the agency," Gideon replied. He looked over at Nichols. "May 1990?" he questioned. When Nichols gave a single nod in reply, Gideon continued. "That time, the hacker decided it would be fun to get into the system and send an email message that looked like it was from someone within the bureau. When you opened the email you were subjected to a rousing chorus of Kumbaya that wouldn't quit playing until the computer was shut down."

This time both Morgan and Hudson laughed. Hotch even allowed himself a small smile at the story. In the doorway Nichols wore a smirk.

"Like I said, much more entertaining," he said.

"How do you know about it, though?" Morgan said. "I thought you graduated from the Academy in the fall of 1990?"

"I did. Do the math," Nichols told him, with a wink. "I've got to get back to work. If you desperately need me for something, Boss, ring my cell."

"Got it," Gideon replied, as the team's tech specialist disappeared from the doorway.

"Did he just admit to being that first hacker?" Hudson asked, pointing toward the spot where Nichols had just been standing.

"Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and

give you an opportunity to commit more," Gideon replied, as he started tossing files onto the table near the agents.

Hudson's expression just got more confused by the answer.

"It's a quote from Mark Twain," Reid supplied, taking Hudson's confused look as meaning he didn't recognize the quote. "It was one of many quotes printed in a book by Merle Johnson in 1927 called _More Maxims of Mark_."

"And I suppose you know the meaning of it too," Hudson said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

Before Reid had a chance to give the answer that was on the tip of his tongue, Morgan spoke up. "Of course he does. Reid knows everything."

At the comment, Reid fell silent and reached out and picked up a pen off the table. Suddenly, that pen became the most fascinating thing in the room to the young genius.

"Okay, let's get started," Gideon said, calmly putting out the spark before it could get fanned into a flame. The banter that normally passed between his agents was something that Gideon was use to and ignored. It gave them a way to relieve the stress. However, with the conversation leaning toward the impression of Hudson and Morgan ganging up on Reid, he knew it was time to step in.

They had all learned when not to take one another seriously and Gideon could tell Morgan's comment wasn't meant to be taken seriously but more of a way to cut off the explanation of the quote that Reid was sure to provide them with. However, Reid hadn't been with the team long enough to know that. He knew the young agent was taking everything that his older teammates were saying seriously. ~_I'll have to have a talk to him about that, _~ Gideon thought.

He considered briefly talking to Morgan but decided to let it go for now and keep an eye on things. Morgan was perceptive enough that Gideon figured he'd pick up on something before going too far. ~_And if he doesn't soon, then I'll step in.~_

"We've got five victims already, all killed within the last two weeks," Gideon said looking down briefly at the file that was open before him on the table.

"Wow, not much of a cooling down period at all," Morgan commented.

"No, which means we're in a race to find him before he finds his next victim. So far, that victim lists includes Shelly Long, Kim Blaze, Margaret Downey, Rita Jade and Mia Koontz. Koontz is the latest victim, found by a friend stopping by to pick her up for their classes at Husson University yesterday morning. All five women are blonde, single and lived in an apartment within the city. Bangor Metro Police are coming up with blanks on all their leads."

"What makes them think these murders are all connected?" Morgan asked. "Shelly Long was fifty years old and the most recent victim Mia Koontz had just celebrated her twenty-first birthday. Shelly and Kim were strangled, Margaret was shot, Rita was drowned and Mia was strangled again. If it's the same guy, why isn't the MO the same for all the murders?"

"He could be trying to figure out what works best for him," Gideon replied.

"The thing linking the murders is that the UnSub left a calling card," Hotch replied, speaking up before the unit chief could answer Morgan's question. "Beside each body, police found a single white rose, always carefully placed as if it may have dropped from the victim's hand," Hotch said, pointing to one of the pictures stuck up on the bulletin board. The picture showed a single hand, lying lifelessly open, with a rose nearby. "This picture is from the Blaze crime scene, though there are similar ones for each victim."

"Well, that is definitely unique. Women just don't go around carrying a white rose with them," Morgan commented.

"The white rose has come to symbolize purity, innocence, and secrets. Several different cultures have legends and myths in which the first rose was white and then was somehow transformed, sometimes stained by blood or made to blush by a kiss. Early traditions also use white roses as a symbol of true love, which in today's society, we more often attribute to red roses. They are also known as the bridal rose and often used in bridal bouquets as well as being used to represent honor and reverence in funeral and sympathy arrangements. As a symbol of remembrance a white rose represents heavenliness, and is an expression of love and respect," Reid said, easily and quickly spouting off the information to the group.

"So you're saying this guy is in love with these women and then leaves the rose as a memorial to them?" Hudson asked, a bit of sarcasm to his voice.

"I'm just providing information," Reid replied defensively. "There are many reasons why this UnSub might have chosen white roses to leave, one the UnSub might not even be consciously aware of."

"You said in the context of remembrance the white rose is an expression of love and respect?" Morgan asked, looking over at Reid for confirmation to make sure he had the information from the young agent's hurried dialogue right. Reid nodded. "Then these women may represent someone in the UnSub's life. Someone who was important to them but was taken away suddenly. Leaving the rose could be a sign of remorse."

"But these women look nothing alike," Hudson said.

"Except for the blonde hair," Morgan countered.

"Morgan might have a point. If the hair was the most important feature about the person these women represent, then that might be the only thing that matters. It would explain why the age range is so varied."

"So every blonde woman in the city is a potential victim," Hudson commented, even as he looked over at Reid.

"What?" Reid asked, realizing that Morgan was also looking at him.

"No numbers for us?" Morgan asked, the corners of his mouth twitching up in a smile.

"Well, the 2000 census put the population of Bangor, Maine at 31,473. Approximately 24,770 people were over the age of eighteen and for every 100 females over the age of 18 there are 81.5 males. How many of those women are blonde, there are no statistics for."

"Just checking," Morgan commented offhandedly.

"What took them so long to call us in?" Hudson asked, cutting off any possible reprimands from their Unit Chief. "You would think the second murder with the rose would have gotten someone thinking, and then the third makes it serial."

"The Bangor police thought they could handle it on their own," Gideon said simply. "Which means handling this situation with care. There are probably still a lot of cops up there that are not going to be happy about us coming in even though the Chief of Police has called us in. Tread carefully. Make them feel like we are up there to assist them, not take over and please refrain from any comment about how long it took them to call us in," Gideon said, looking at Hudson when he voiced the last instruction.

"Got it," Hudson said, feeling Gideon wanted some type of insurance from him.

"With our database down, we're working right now with the information about these victims that the Bangor Police can provide us. Right now, that's just basic information. I've talked to one of their officers up there and told them the type of information we normally look at for the victims, and she's trying to pull that for us. Until they get things working around here, their system is what we're going to have to work with. We meet at the airstrip in forty minutes," Gideon told his team, before making his way around the table and out the door. He had told the Bangor officer to send him information as she found it. He wanted to see if she had found anything else for them to go off of.

Morgan and Hudson closed the open files in front of them and got to their feet, talking between themselves as they left the conference room, leaving Hotch and Reid alone in the conference room again.

"Sir, did I say something wrong, again?" Reid asked, still sitting in his chair.

"No. Of course not. You provided information that could possibly lead to a break in this case and that is exactly what these briefings are for," Hotch told him. "Everyone is free to throw out any ideas or information that is pertinent to the case."

Reid nodded although he was still thinking about Morgan's comments about the statistics. He couldn't shake the feeling that Morgan had been setting him up and he had fallen for it easily. ~_Those two are probably laughing about it right now, _~ Reid thought thinking of his two co-workers who had just left the conference room.

"You're doing fine," Hotch told him, walking around the table and passing behind the new agent. The older agent briefly rested his hand on Reid's shoulder before speaking again. "Come on. We've got some things to do before we leave for Maine."

Silently, Reid got to his feet and followed his training agent out of the conference room.

* * *

Hotch pulled the black Chevy Suburban up to the curb behind the unmarked cop car with the lights flashing. Another victim had been discovered while the team had been en route to Bangor. Upon landing at Bangor International Airport, the team had split up. Gideon and Morgan headed for the Koontz apartment as had originally been planned. Instead of heading to the station to get set up there though, Hotch and Reid were instead heading to the new crime scene, along with Hudson. Getting set up at the station could wait.

Though Hudson was supposed to originally be with Gideon, Hotch had brought him along knowing he was probably going to need the help. This was going to be the first time Reid would be on a real crime scene. Hotch knew from experience that there was no telling how the younger agent was going to react to it. He also knew, as did Gideon, that it was best to get this obstacle over with. As he had told Morgan when the younger agent had questioned sending Reid to a still active crime scene, if this was something that the new agent couldn't handle it was best that they find out now. Trying to shelter him from the more distasteful parts of the job for as long as possible wasn't going to be beneficial to anyone. Though the skeptical look hadn't left Morgan's face, the younger agent had nodded and let it go.

As he opened the door and stepped out of the SUV, Hotch still felt this was the right thing to do. No matter what the actual scene was like, the first experience of seeing a dead body for the first time in person was always the worse. ~_If anything about this job is going to make Reid quit, this is going to be it, _~ Hotch thought as he started walking toward the apartment building where the latest murder had taken place.

Stepping off the elevator on the eighth floor of the building, Hotch came face to face with two metro police officers. Without waiting to be asked, Hotch held his credentials up for both officers to see. With a nod of acknowledgment, the two men stepped aside and waved a hand down the hallway to his left. The gesture was more than enough direction as the crowd of law enforcement personnel and the crime scene tape across the doorway was more than enough indication of the specific apartment.

Hotch led the other two agents down the hallway. Reaching the crime scene tape, Hotch once again held up his credentials and was allowed to duck under the tape without interference. As he entered the apartment, a Hispanic man dressed in slacks, dress shirt and a tie walked over to them.

"FBI?" the man questioned, as he stopped in front of Hotch. He wore his detective shield around his neck. When Hotch nodded in reply, the man held his right hand out to them. "Detective Jason Torres. I've been working this case ever since the second victim was found."

"SSA Agent Hotchner," Hotch replied shaking the detective's hand. "This is SA Hudson and SA Dr. Reid."

"I've been working on this case with Detective Hank Curtis, who originally worked the first crime scene. He went to the Koontz crime scene to meet with the other agents. We work out of the same station. The second call came in on his day off. The commonality of the white rose tipped us off that the two murders could be connected and we started working the case together. I will warn you guys though, Curtis isn't happy about you guys being called in. He's had some bad experiences with FBI agents out of the Boston field office, and just doesn't trust the FBI anymore."

"And you?" Hotch asked.

"At this point I'll take any help we can get. Six bodies are way too many and it's clear this guy isn't going to stop until somebody makes him," Detective Torres said.

"Well, hopefully together we can stop him," Hotch replied. "What have we got here?"

"Well, like the other scenes, there are obvious signs of forced entry, and the apartment was locked. Some scratched paint on the doorframe seems to indicate that the killer may have jimmied the lock that way. The security chain is broken, so obviously it was in use when the killer entered," Torres said, as he started walking toward the kitchen area of the apartment.

As the group walked around the corner of the counter, the victim's body was laying on the kitchen floor. A crime scene tech was taking photographs. Having donned gloves while walking Hudson stepped next to the body and knelt down.

"The victim is twenty-eight year old, Veronica Sykes. The mother found her while dropping off Veronica's three year-old daughter who had spent the night with her."

"The UnSub obviously strangled her," Hudson said calmly from where he knelt next to the victim's shoulders. "From the looks of the bruising on the throat and the indentations, I'd say he used a belt. Clothing is torn and buttons are missing on both the blouse and the jeans." Hudson looked up at Torres. "Was she raped?"

"Preliminary findings say no though the ME won't give a definite answer until he gets the body back at the morgue for a full examination."

During Hudson and Torres' exchange, Hotch had been watching Reid's reaction. The young agent's face had gone pale at the sight of the body. He hadn't said a word, and the young doctor's stare was currently transfixed on the body that Hudson was kneeling next to. Now Hotch was thinking he saw a tinge of green in Reid's face. Before Hotch could make any suggestions though, Reid finally turned from the body.

"I need some air," Hotch heard Reid say softly as the younger agent made his way back toward the apartment door.

"First crime scene?" Torres asked, inclining his head in the direction of the retreating agent.

"Yeah," Hotch replied. "Hudson you okay alone for a bit?" Hotch asked the other agent.

"I'm good. Go check on Dr. World Book," Hudson replied.

Not exactly thrilled at Hudson's nickname for Reid, Hotch let it go for now. The middle of a crime scene wasn't the time or place to iron out team difficulties. He could deal with Hudson later if need be.

As Hudson and Detective Torres went back to discussing the crime scene, Hotch headed in the direction that Reid had retreated in just moments before. Stepping into the hallway, he saw the elevator in use and headed for the stairwell. Walking down the steps would probably take less time then waiting for the elevator to make its trip down and then come back up for him.

Reaching the ground floor, Hotch pushed open the door and stepped into the small entrance of the apartment building. The elevator was no longer in use and there was no sign of Reid, so Hotch headed outside. Stepping onto the apartment buildings front steps he looked first to his left. The sound of someone being sick made him soon look to the right and sure enough he spotted Reid, one hand against the brick wall of the apartment building, leaning over with the other hand on his knee, forcefully emptying the contents of his stomach.

Making his way to the SUV, Hotch retrieved an unopened bottle of water he had picked up at the airport. Letting the car door shut behind him, he headed back in the direction of the younger agent. By this time, Reid was just experiencing dry heaves, his stomach having already rid itself of all of its contents.

Silently, Hotch held the bottle of water out to the younger agent. Reid took it from him and opened it, desperate to rinse the taste out of his mouth.

"Here, sit down for a few minutes," Hotch told Reid, as he gently grabbed the younger agent's arm at the elbow and guided him in the direction of the building's front steps.

Reid sat down on the lower steps and Hotch sat down next to him. After about a minute, Hotch finally broke the silence.

"Feeling better?" Hotch asked. He could see that none of the younger man's color had come back but the greenish hue had left his skin.

"Yeah," Reid replied. "Sorry," he added. "I didn't think I'd react that way. I mean I've seen plenty of crime scene photos, with sights worse than what's in there," he said, nodding his head toward the building behind him. "Somehow that . . . I don't know it's just not the same as pictures."

"No, it isn't," Hotch replied. "And don't worry, you're not the first agent or police officer who has gotten seek at their first murder scene and you won't be the last," Hotch said, placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I remember feeling a bit queasy at the first dead body I saw myself."

"But I bet you didn't run out of the area," Reid said.

"No," Hotch admitted. "And I didn't lose my lunch either, well at least not until later on when I tried to eat dinner. The point is though, there is nothing wrong with your reaction. It's completely natural. The question is, do you think you can go back in there and get on with your job?" Hotch asked.

Reid looked over his shoulder, and up at the building behind him. He stared at the brick building for a few minutes, his mind picturing the scene he had faced within its walls. The same scene that would be waiting for him when he went back in. ~_All those scenes in the pictures we saw during the Academy were all crime scenes just like this one. This is part of the job. If I can't do this, then I've got no right to be in the FBI, ~ _Reid reasoned with himself. After what he had gone through to get this far, it would be difficult to take if something like this kept him from doing this job. Reid turned his head away from the building, his gaze meeting Hotch's, who was sitting on the steps next to him. His supervisor's gaze was calm and unwavering, as he waited for an answer.

"Yeah, let's go," Reid said, reaching a hand up to grasp the banister to pull himself to his feet.

The two agents headed back inside the building. As Hotch pushed the up button for the elevator, he spoke again. "At least you didn't contaminate the crime scene," the older agent commented.


	17. Nearing the Breaking Point

Disclaimer: Can't remember if I've done this for this story or not (I'm so bad at remembering it) but of course the characters of Criminal Minds are not mine, however my original characters be them agents, UnSubs or not so happy detectives are!

AN: Thanks to all my readers out there and a Special thanks to those who've taken the time to alert, favorite, or review! For all of you threaten violence toward Hudson, you'll probably be cheering Hotch a bit in this chapter . . .

* * *

_Bangor Maine, 8__th__ precinct police station . . ._

SSA Derek Morgan followed Gideon and Detective Hank Curtis through the front door of the detective's police station, cell phone to his ear as he spoke with Agent Nichols back at Quantico. Detective Curtis wasn't making any attempt to hide his contempt for the two federal agents whom he had spent the last three hours with. His words were clipped and the tone held an un-hidden contempt when he spoke to them, which was only when necessary. Morgan had been more than happy to let Gideon deal with the unfriendly local detective.

"Gideon wants to know when we might have your services back," Morgan said into the phone, after having exchanged a brief greeting with their tech specialist.

"Well, that depends on exactly what you guys need," Nichols replied. "We've got the database working again, though there is still a team of agents checking the integrity of the data."

"English for those of us that don't know geek-speak please," Morgan told him.

"Basically they need to make sure that the hacker didn't tamper with the data within the database. Estimation is that the database is going to be down for another twenty-tour to forty-eight hours."

"Do you guys know how the hacker got into the system?"

"Oh yeah, I've tracked down the vulnerable port and am currently working on sealing it tight. This guy was good to be able to find it but he's not coming back in through that door," Nichols replied. "Now I'm working on a program to try back-tracing this guy's steps and figure out where he's from. I hate being hacked."

"I'm sure you do. So they have you tracking this guy now."

"I'm helping by my request, and have been told I'm free to pursue it as long as it doesn't interfere with my duties. So what does Gideon need?"

"We need to trace our victims' steps through the last few days of their lives. The Bangor police department has done a good job a decent job with background information but they don't have your flare for establishing the last moments of the victim's life."

"Right, so we're looking for credit card purchases, debit card use, phone calls and any other electronic traces are victims may have left," Nichols said, in the partly distracted tone that told Morgan the technical specialist was already working.

"Are you going to be able to do that?"

"Morgan, the FBI database down, but I still have methods to track public records. My mother always told me not to put all my eggs into one basket."

"And you always listened to your mother?"

"Ha, doesn't she wish. Probably would have saved her some headaches, but I'm learning a lot of what she had to say was good advice in my old age," Nichols told him. "I'll see what I can find on those five victims."

"Ah, it's six now," Morgan told him, as he followed Gideon and Curtis into a conference room.

"Hope this will suffice for you and your team," Curtis was saying. "It's the best we could do. Had to drag the bulletin board out of storage for you guys," he added, making it sound like it had been a hard task to do.

Gideon replied as Morgan continued his conversation with Nichols.

"The sixth victim was found while we were en route to Bangor. All I've got right now is a name and address," Morgan told him, giving him Veronica Sykes name and address.

"Got it. I'll see what I can find." Nichols replied, as Morgan heard Detective Curtis say he had other things to attend to and left the room.

Gideon put the files he was holding down on the table and lifted the lid of one of the boxes that had been placed there by someone in the Bangor police department.

"How's Junior holding up?" Nichols asked, as Morgan walked over to the opposite end of the table from Gideon and placed the bag containing the laptop down in one of the empty chairs.

"I wouldn't know. Hotch took him and Hudson over to the new crime scene when we got here. Haven't seen them since."

"Ahh, throwing the new guy right into the fire. It's probably for the best."

Morgan didn't have a chance to reply to Nichols' comment as Gideon spoke up from the other end of the table.

"Tell Nichols I'd like him a join us via web cam when Hotch and the others get here, so we can all get on the same page," Gideon spoke up, having heard Morgan giving Nichols the new victim's name and assumed Nichols was back to helping them out.

Morgan relayed the message to the tech specialist who said he would be waiting for them to get back in touch with them. Ending the call with Nichols, Morgan put his cell phone back on its clip. Leaving the laptop where it was he walked the short distance to the other end of the table and started to help the unit chief set up the board. They hadn't been working long when there was a knock on the door. Both federal agents looked up to see a young female police officer standing in the doorway.

"Agent Gideon?" the officer questioned, looking directly at the older agent. Gideon nodded and the officer continued. "I've got what background information we have on the latest victim," she said holding out a sheaf of papers to him.

"Thank-you," Gideon said, striding over to take the papers from her.

"Is there anything else I can do for you, sir?"

"Not right now."

With a quick nod the officer turned and headed out of the room. Gideon turned back toward the table and walked back the way he had come, slowly as he was already perusing the information that was handed to him.

Morgan and Gideon had just finished up setting up the board, laying out pictures of each victim in order of their deaths as well as crime scene photos from each, when their three teammates walked in followed by Detective Torres. Morgan was setting up the laptop, and Hudson headed directly toward him. Gideon cast a glance in the detective's direction as he followed Hotch into the room.

"Detective Torres, this is Agent Gideon, our unit chief."

"Nice to meet you, Agent Gideon," Detective Torres said, offering his hand.

"Likewise Detective," Gideon said, shaking the Bangor detective's hand.

"I sure hope you guys can help us solve this thing. This guy is showing no signs of stopping though these last two murders have been the closet two so far."

"Which could mean he's escalating, and will keep up his current pace until caught," Gideon commented. "Or he could have just happened to find two targets close together."

"Then you think there is a reasoning behind the victim's he's selecting?" Torres asked.

"There usually is," the unit chief responded.

Hudson reached Morgan and perched on the corner of the table facing his fellow agent. Morgan hit the power button on his laptop and looked up.

"Seems like you guys got the friendlier cop," Morgan commented, nodding in Torres' direction.

"Yeah, he mentioned the detective meeting the two of you didn't care too much for the FBI. Where is the guy at, anyway?"

"He took his leave as soon as he showed us in here. Didn't seem like he could get away from us fast enough," Morgan replied, glancing at his computer screen to see if it had booted up yet? Seeing that it was still starting up, he glanced toward the others in the room.

Gideon and Torres were still talking. Hotch and Reid had moved around to the other side of the table from the former pair. The two had a map spread out in front of them and Reid was marking points on it.

~_They're probably working on the geographical profile, _~ Morgan thought, taken notice that Reid looked very pale.

"By the way, the nickname Dr. World Book is out for Reid," Hudson commented, as he followed Morgan's gaze. "Hotch doesn't care for it."

"Got a lecture from him, did you?" Morgan asked, looking up at Hudson. Both men kept their voices low as to not be overheard.

Hudson shook his head slowly. "I think if Hotch was unit chief instead of Gideon it would have been more than just a lecture. That guy has no sense of humor. Maybe if he loosened up his tie."

"You're welcome to go tell him that," Morgan said, a grin on his face.

"Yeah, right. I don't have a death wish and one lecture is quite enough for today," Hudson responded.

"How did Reid handle the crime scene?" Morgan asked, with another brief glance in the younger agent's direction.

"Not well," Hudson said, with a shake of his head. "He didn't last more than two minutes in the apartment before he was running for the door."

"Did he ever come back in?" Morgan asked, as the bureau's logo came up on the computer's screen. Morgan went to open the web cam and put a call into Nichols back at the BAU, while he waited for Hudson's answer.

"Yeah. He came back in with Hotch maybe ten minutes later. He never has gotten any color back though. Don't know for sure, but I have a feeling he couldn't keep lunch down."

"There are many agents and rookie cops who have had that reaction to their first crime scene. He came back. That's what is important."

"Are you saying you got sick the first time you saw a dead body?"

"I didn't say that. My first experience on the job though definitely had my stomach feeling queasy though and I definitely had no appetite for the rest of the shift."

"Didn't know you were such a light weight, Morgan?" Hudson teased.

"Lightweight? My very first call on the job was for a suspicious odor. My training officer and I get on the site and the superintendent let us into the apartment, the smell itself was enough to make me start feeling sick. We found the guy sitting at a kitchen chair, he had shot himself with a hunting rifle he owned. He must have been there for a while, because the body was starting to decompose. What really got to me though was in not paying attention to what I was doing, I stepped in what had once been part of the guys' brain."

Hudson groaned at the last part.

"That is so not the ending of a tale that you want to come in on," Nichols commented, having popped up on the computer via the open web cam connection."

"Okay, I'll take back the lightweight comment," Hudson conceded.

"Good call, especially coming from you," Morgan told him, with a mischievous grin. Hudson looked at him curiously. "Does Charleston ring any bells?"

"Yeah, well that was different. Subject the new guy to that and I bet he'd faint on the spot," Hudson replied, coloring a bit as he remembered his reaction to finding the bodies in the suitcases.

"I think he's a bit tougher than you give him credit for," Morgan replied.

"I don't even want to know what you two are talking about," Nichols commented. "Everybody there?"

"Yeah," Morgan told the technical specialist. "Hey, Gideon, I've got Nichols online," Morgan called out to their supervisor.

"Good, let's get started then," Gideon said.

Everybody found seats at the table, and Morgan turned the volume up on the computer and then turned it around. Getting to his feet, Morgan then stood and moved around to the side of the table, taking the seat next to Reid.

"Let's get started. We're running a race against an UnSub who could very well be trolling for his next victim as we speak. There were less than forty-eight hours between his last two kills, which means we're running on a very short clock," Gideon said, speaking first. He looked toward the computer screen. "Where are you in your information gathering, Nichols?"

"Well, Boss, I started two days before the first victim, Shelly Long, was killed. I've got her credit and debit card purchases, phone calls, and a library checkout for her during those two days. I'm keeping the start date the same for the rest of the victims, so each search is going to take a bit longer. I've almost got all the records for Kim Blaze at this point too. The two appear to have used the same bank, and made purchases at a couple of common places as well as two common numbers appearing on their phone records so far. I'll keep a look out for those places as the next searches run and I'm also tracing the phone numbers to see who or what business they are for," Nichols replied.

"Good. It's a start and if we can narrow down some places that all of our victims have in common we might be able to figure out where the UnSub is making contact with his victims," Gideon commented. He directed his gaze to Hotch as he asked the next question. "What did you guys find at the new crime scene?"

* * *

It was almost eleven o'clock when Hotch parked the SUV in the parking spot at their hotel, two spaces down from where Morgan was parking the second SUV, which the team had for the duration of their stay in Bangor. The team had left the station late, having gone over what they knew about each victim and mapping out a preliminary game plan for the following day. As none of them had eaten since leaving for Bangor, they had decided to grab something to eat before retiring. All them except for Reid, who had claimed he wasn't hungry. Hotch had dropped their youngest teammate off at the hotel before joining the others who had gone to an all-night café recommended by Torres.

The federal agents grabbed their bags from the back of the SUV's and headed toward the hotel. Hudson was walking ahead of the group by himself, the key card that Hotch had given him at the café, having checked the whole team in earlier when he had brought Reid to the hotel, in hand. Morgan, had grabbed Gideon's bag from the SUV he was driving, and had met the unit chief half way between the two vehicles. As he handed the bag over to Gideon, Morgan looked toward Hotch.

"I'll drop that off to Reid if you want," Morgan offered, referring to the sandwich, in the carry-out container from the café, that Hotch had picked up for the newest agent, hoping that Reid could be persuaded to eat something. Morgan saw the skeptical look both of the veteran agents was giving him. "I promise I don't plan on giving him a hard time. I just figured he might feel more comfortable talking to someone who isn't an authority figure. Gideon is the unit chief, and Hotch, you're his training agent, he's going to be hesitant as to exactly how much he admits to the two of you."

Hotch and Gideon exchanged looks, neither able to deny the validity of Morgan's words. Reid was trying to prove to them that he could be a productive member of this team. To get a good evaluation from both of them in order to keep his position with the team. Gideon shrugged his shoulders slightly, leaving the decision in Hotch's hands.

Hotch looked back at Morgan. It wasn't long before he was handing the carry-out container to him. "Don't give him a hard time, even in jest," Hotch warned. "I think Reid might be taking some of your teasing a bit too seriously right now."

Morgan nodded. He could tell Hotch was getting close to the end of his patience with both him and Hudson when it came to teasing Reid and though a lot of his recent comments to the younger agent had only been intended as just that, light hearted teasing, Morgan was getting the feeling that Reid wasn't taking it that way even without Hotch telling him.

"And if he seems overly troubled or he won't talk to you, let me know," Hotch added.

"Okay," Morgan said, part of him wondering why he had volunteered to do this.

The three agents started walking across the parking lot toward the hotel. Stepping into the lobby, they saw no sign of Hudson and figured he must have headed upstairs already without bothering to wait. Hotch, Gideon and Morgan crossed the lobby and reaching the elevator first, Gideon pushed the up button. It wasn't long before the doors of one of the elevators were opening, the ding echoing through the almost empty lobby. All three of them stepped inside and Morgan, who ended up closest to the control panel, hit the button for the fifth floor where their rooms were located.

The elevator made one other stop on its way up, on the second floor. A couple of giggling teenage girls stepped onto the elevator. One of them reached passed Morgan to hit the button for the seventh floor. As if the other three weren't in the elevator, the two girls continued their giggling, broken up only by whispered conversation. When the elevator stopped on the fifth floor, the three agents squeezed passed the teenagers and stepped out into the hotel corridor.

They reached Hotch and Gideon's rooms first, leaving Morgan to continue down to the hallway to Reid's room alone. Morgan watched the room numbers as he passed and when he reached room 528 he stopped. Holding the container in his left hand, Morgan knocked on the door with his right had. When there was no answer he knocked again. The dark-skinned FBI agent was about to assume he was asleep already and tell Hotch as much, when the door finally opened enough that he could see Reid's head peeking through it. The kid seemed to have gotten a little bit of his color back, though he was still pale.

"Is something going on with the case?" Reid asked, his expression confused. The only person he would have been more surprised to see standing outside of his hotel room would have been Hudson. He felt sure that either Gideon or Hotch had sent Morgan as he doubted the older agent would voluntarily come knocking on the door to his hotel room.

"No. We're still meeting at seven tomorrow morning," Morgan replied. "Hotch picked this up from the café for you. We figured you might be hungry by now."

"Not really," Reid replied though he opened the door further and took the Styrofoam container from the other agent.

"You really should try eating something," Morgan told him. "I know seeing your first crime scene can be rough. Want to talk about it?"

Reid's expression changed from confused to angry. "Why? So you and Hudson will have something to laugh about tomorrow? I think the two of you have enough ammunition right now. I saw the two of you talking when we got to the station this afternoon. I'm sure you and Hudson had quite a laugh about the fact that I left the apartment."

"We didn't. I was just asking what had happened?"

"And you couldn't have asked me?"

"Would you have told me?" Morgan countered, feeling defensive. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm himself down. He had to admit that Reid had good reason to doubt his intentions. Morgan thought of Hotch's comment about Reid taking his teasing remarks too seriously. ~_Apparently, he's onto something with that_.~

Reid didn't answer but looked down at the floor between the two of them.

"Hey, Reid," Morgan said. He waited for the younger agent to look up again. "I tease everyone. It's who I am. I'd never poke fun at something this serious though. You can talk to me."

"That's what they all say," Reid said softly.

"Who?" Morgan asked, confused by the comment.

"I'm tired and we've got an early morning," Reid said, instead of answering the question.

"Wow, you can't just say something like that and then dismiss it," Morgan told him, not at all willing to let the conversation end on the current note.

"Look, you don't like me. Fine. I've had to deal with plenty of that growing up," Reid told him. "Just do me a favor and don't patronize me."

"I never said I didn't like you."

"You don't have to say it," Reid said. "Good night, Morgan," Reid said, pushing the hotel room door shut.

Morgan stood in the hallway for a few moments, staring at the door that had just closed in his face. ~_"You don't have to say it."_~ Reid's words kept playing through his mind. He played through the last few days, going over what he remembered about his interactions with his new teammate. Trying to recall if there was anything he had done or said to the new agent that could have been perceived as hostile. The only thing that he could think of was when he had told the younger agent to shut-up when he had been going on about figures of speech. Yes, he had said a few things in jest here and there. Done a bit of teasing here and there, but he hadn't been trying to hurt the younger agent's feelings in those instances.

~_No, Hudson and I haven't exactly put out the welcoming mat for him, and yes some of Hudson's actions could have been construed as hostile, but why would Reid think that I'm asking him if he wants to talk so that Hudson and I can have a laugh at his expense? _~ Morgan thought turning from the hotel room door but not leaving his spot in the hallway. _~Because Hudson and I have been together almost every time we've had any interaction with Reid._~

He thought of the briefing earlier that day. He guessed in a way it could have looked like he and Hudson was ganging up on the younger agent. ~_Especially, as the kid already seems to be self-conscious. Then there was his other comment. 'That's what they all say,' he had said. Who was this 'they' that Reid was lumping him in with? ~_

Morgan couldn't come up with the answer to that one. What he did know was that Hotch definitely had a point. Even if he only intended the words as some harmless teasing, he was going to have to think twice before joking around with the younger agent for now. Morgan looked back at the door that had just been shut on him. He considered knocking again and trying to talk to Reid again. Deciding that Reid probably wouldn't bother answering the door, even if he did try, he figured the best thing to do was to leave the new agent alone for tonight and try talking to him in the morning.

As Morgan started back toward his own room, which was on the other side of the elevator, Morgan got his cell phone out. Reid hadn't seemed any more bothered by today's event than he had when he had last seen him at the police station, but he also hadn't been willing to talk about his experience. Morgan felt that Hotch should know that. What the older agent chose to do about it was out of his hands.

"Agent Hotchner."

"Hey, Hotch. It's Morgan. Things didn't go so well with Reid."


	18. Aftermath

_Dear Mom,_

_Sorry this isn't going to be as long as my normal letters but it's been a busy day for me. I'm on my second case with the team. This case has us in Bangor Maine, hence the postcard that I'm writing on. I picked it up at the airport. I thought you might like to see some of the places that my job is taking me. Guess if I keep this up you might end up with quite a collection of postcards._

_I hope things are going well with you. I do miss you every day but I don't want you to worry about me. Things are going okay. This job is allowing me to experience many new things and places. Growing up in Vegas you would have thought I would have seen it all, but I'm learning that there are some things that even growing up in the city doesn't prepare you for._

_I promise to write more soon._

_Love,_

_Spencer_

Special Agent Reid looked down at the words he had written on the postcard. Though there were no lies in the short missive to his mother, he also knew there was a lot he wasn't saying. A lot that he would never tell her.

There was no way he could tell her about how he felt like he wasn't being accepted by some of his team members. How it seemed at times that he couldn't do anything right. Spencer knew that he couldn't tell her those things. Couldn't give her a reason to worry about him. She did enough of that already. Just like he knew he couldn't tell her about his reaction to seeing that dead body in person this morning. She hadn't wanted him to join the FBI in the first place. Didn't want him around such horrible things.

Looking up, Reid's eyes fell on the container that Morgan had brought by. Inside, was the half-eaten chicken salad sandwich. He had tried to eat it, despite not really feeling hungry. That was one thing he couldn't deny Morgan was right about. He really did need to eat something but as he had tried to eat the sandwich his mind kept thinking about the dead body of Veronica Sykes lying there in her own kitchen, and his stomach started protesting putting anything into it. After getting through half the sandwich he had decided not to push his protesting stomach any further and had left the remaining portion of the meal in the container.

~_Morgan_.~

Reid sighed as he thought about his conversation with the older profiler. ~_If he didn't hate me before, he sure does now, ~ _Reid thought, leaning his elbows on the table he was sitting at, and letting his head come to rest in his hands. ~_I can't believe I said those things to him_, ~ he thought, thinking of the genuine surprise and confusion that had been on his co-worker's face. No matter what the reason he had showed up at his door, Reid knew that Morgan hadn't expected things to go like that. The young FBI agent also knew he could have handled the situation better than he had. What made things worse, was that he knew there was no way to avoid Morgan the following morning.

Reid lifted his head, glancing at his watch. ~_No, later this morning_, ~ he corrected himself, noting that it was now after midnight.

Knowing that he had to meet the rest of the team in less than seven hours now, Reid got to his feet, knowing that he should probably try to get some sleep. He suddenly felt very tired and he hoped that he would be able to fall asleep without anything disturbing that rest. He sat down on the side of the bed and removed his shoes, placing each one carefully under the bed where he wouldn't trip over them. He eyed his bag sitting on top of the room's dresser, which had the T-shirt and sweat pants, that he normally slept in. Suddenly, he didn't even feel like he had the energy to get up and walk the short distance to the bag.

Reid reached up and removed the tie he was wearing, tossing it on the bedside table. He then turned off the lamp, and still wearing his clothes, laid down on the bed, his head sinking into the soft hotel pillow. He laid there on his back, staring off into the dark. His eyes soon adjusted to the darkness and he could make out the shadows of the furniture in the room he was in. In the direction of the room's door, a thin streak of light fell on the carpet and wall from the light he had left on in the bathroom, which was shining through the opening from the bathroom door being left cracked open. He could just imagine the teasing that would follow if his teammates found out he slept with a light on due to his fear of the dark.

_~An FBI agent who is afraid of the dark. Maybe I deserve to get teased_.~

Though he felt exhausted, sleep wouldn't come. He kept thinking about the crime scene. About the body laying there on the kitchen floor. How Hudson had so easily knelt down beside it and started examining it, as if it was only a mannequin. He didn't think he could ever do that so casually knowing that the person before him used to be a breathing person. Hudson had made it seem like an everyday event, while he had gone running from the room looking for a place to rid himself of the contents of his stomach.

~_Maybe I'm just not cut out for this job_, ~ Reid thought, as he laid in the bed, staring at the shaft of light. ~_Maybe I just wasted both Agent Hotchner's and my own time trying to make it through the Academy. Perhaps Ethan had the right idea, leaving so soon. At least he didn't waste twenty weeks trying to get through a program just to discover he couldn't do the job. And it's not just the reaction to the crime scene. I'm not really fitting well with the team. Nichols is probably just humoring me, as if I'm another one of his kids. Anything I say seems to draw ire or ridicule from Hudson or Morgan. Gideon probably wouldn't have given my file a first glance, let alone a second glance if it wasn't for Hotch.~_

As Reid thought about his training agent, the guilt he was feeling grew worse. ~_This isn't just about me failing anymore. Hotch has put so much of his time and effort into seeing that I made it through the Academy and then getting me into the BAU. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. I walk away from this now and all of that was for nothing_, ~ Reid thought as memories from his time at the Academy played through his head.

It wasn't just the extra time on the firing range, which despite all their efforts had only gotten his shooting ability to just above passing. There were the extra hours in the gym trying to build up his strength and stamina. Time jogging on the trails, the older man encouraging him to go just a little bit further than he had the last time, even when he had wanted to quit. Extra practice on the self-defense drills. All the advice and words of encouragement to help build his self-confidence.

Though he hadn't been considering quitting, three weeks into the FBI Academy Reid had started to logically see that getting through the academy might just end up being the first thing he had ever failed at, after setting his mind to do. Though he was putting his entire effort into the training, he knew he was just one step from flunking out of the program. Then he had met Agent Hotchner. He never could figure out what it was the older agent had seen in him that day but Hotch had turned out to be the extra help he needed to reach graduation.

_"Then if you're willing to put in some extra time, I'll make sure you pass all your tests and graduate in seventeen weeks."_

That had been Agent Hotchner's promise in the third week of the Academy. Reid had lived up to his end of it, never questioning or complaining when the veteran FBI agent had told him to meet him somewhere for some type of extra training. He had put in the extra time and effort, and he had reached graduation.

~_Now, I'm starting to see that just getting through the Academy was the easy part, _~ Reid thought. ~_There is so much about this job that those twenty weeks in the Academy just don't prepare us for. Maybe all of those people, whispering back at the BAU are right. I don't belong here. I didn't earn it. Someone just took pity on me. Maybe it's time I quit wasting everybody's time_.~

Reid laid in the bed staring at the shaft of light for quite awhile before a restless sleep finally claimed him. Before he had fallen asleep though, he had decided one thing. He was going to tell Hotch that he couldn't do this job.

* * *

At quarter to seven the following morning, Hotch left his hotel room and headed down the hallway to Reid's. Though he had considered going to talk to the younger agent after his conversation with Morgan, he had held off. That conversation alone had lasted twenty minutes, Morgan being upset by what had happened. Apparently Reid was finally getting tired of taking things passively and Morgan had been the recipient of the younger agent's first outburst. At the very least, Hotch hoped that the incident caused Morgan to think about his own actions toward the new agent. Outwardly, he had tried to calm Morgan down by telling him that Reid had just had a rough day and was frustrated in general and not to take things personally.

Now though, Hotch wanted time to talk to the younger agent before they met up with the rest of the team. With any luck, there had been enough time for Reid to calm down and he could help him put things in perspective. He probably should have given them more time to talk but he was hoping that Reid would be ready by the time he showed up at the younger agent's door.

Reid didn't take long to answer the door following Hotch's knock. In fact, the younger agent opened the door, his messenger bag over one shoulder, looking as if he had been about to leave the room.

"I was just coming to see you, Sir," Reid managed to say, after getting over his surprise of seeing Hotch standing at his door.

Hotch didn't miss the troubled look on the younger man's face, nor the dark circles under his eyes. He found himself wondering just how much sleep Reid had gotten the night before. ~_Perhaps I should have come and spoke with him following my conversation with Morgan last night instead of waiting until this morning, _~ he thought, even as he replied to Reid's unconventional greeting. "Can I come in? I thought the two of us should talk before we meet up with the others."

Reid nodded and Hotch noticed a trace of panic come across the young agent's face. _~I remember well the first couple of weeks after the academy. Every time my training agent said we needed to have a talk I immediately though I was in trouble_, ~ Hotch thought as Reid stepped aside to allow him to enter.

"Relax Reid, you're not in trouble or anything," Hotch told him as he stepped into the room.

It wasn't long before the two of them were sitting down at the table. Before Hotch had a chance to say anything, Reid spoke up.

"Sir, before you say anything I wanted to let you know that I'm going to put in my resignation as soon as this case is over," Reid said, speaking fast, so as to get the words out before he lost his courage to.

"What?" Hotch asked, surprised by the announcement. Hotch knew that yesterday had been a rough day for the young agent. First the briefing, then the crime scene and the incident with Morgan last night. He could tell the young man had been discouraged yesterday evening but he had never thought it had gotten far enough for Reid to even think about quitting. Apparently he had been wrong. "Why?" Hotch asked, wanting to hear Reid's reasons so that he could figure out what to say to him.

"It's not working out. I can't do this job. I'm sorry I know you put in a lot of time helping me out, and I do appreciate it, but I figured I might as well stop wasting both of our time," Reid replied, his eyes focused on the table top.

"Reid, you had a rough day yesterday, I can understand if you're feeling a bit discouraged but that's no reason to throw away all the time and effort you've put into getting where you're at."

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you," Reid said, still not looking up.

"That's not true. You got this far because you worked hard to get this far. All I did was give you some guidance and advice. You did everything else."

"I've heard people whispering back at the office. They're saying I don't belong in the BAU. That I haven't put in the time and the only reason I was put here was that my gun scores were so low, and that didn't matter because Profilers aren't required to carry a gun."

"Who said that?" Hotch asked, thinking that if it was either Hudson or Morgan, they'd be dealing with him before Gideon got a chance at them.

Reid shrugged. "People around the office. I'm not sure of all their names."

~_So apparently the teasing hasn't been limited to being just from Morgan and Hudson. Though perhaps harassment might be a better term in this situation_, ~ Hotch thought. While he was convinced that Morgan's comments had not meant to be malicious he wasn't so sure about the others. Hotch was ready to ask Reid why he hadn't told him about the comments earlier but he held his tongue. The last thing he needed was to say anything that sounded even mildly like he thought Reid had done something wrong. ~_Besides, he probably didn't say anything because he didn't want to get anyone in trouble_.~

"Well, my guess is there are just jealous," Hotch finally replied, "and Reid, that's going to be something you're going to just have to deal with. Your abilities are going to set you apart no matter where you are or what you're doing."

"I've had plenty of experience with that," Reid said, softly.

Not sure if the comment was supposed to be overheard or not, Hotch chose to ignore it and continue. "Reid, you were accepted into the Academy without meeting the age requirement and without the experience that a lot of candidates already have, coming into the program. Then you earn a position that a lot of other agents had put in for, and you did earn it," Hotch said, putting emphasis on the word earn. "Yes, I may have put in a good word for you with Gideon, but I did that because of what I saw while working with you in the academy and you must have said something during your interview to impress Gideon or he wouldn't have made the request to have you assigned to this team."

"Hudson and Morgan hate me."

"So what if they do? Quitting would only be letting them win," Hotch said, knowing that Reid's words weren't exactly true, especially with Morgan. "Besides, I think you might be overreacting in that assessment. Sure, they're skeptical of your abilities. Everyone is skeptical of new agents, especially those without field experience. You need to give it time and show them that you can do this job. I've already seen that, when you were at the academy."

"Well, yesterday sure didn't help prove that."

"The fact that you went back into that apartment proved a lot to them even if they don't want to admit it," Hotch paused, trying to decide if he should tell Reid just how much of his conversation with Morgan the other agent had told him. Deciding that it couldn't do any harm and might actually help, Hotch decided to. "Morgan called me last night after he talked to you."

Reid hid his face in his hands, embarrassed by the way he had acted last night.

"You should know Reid, I didn't send Morgan here last night. He volunteered. Thought you might feel more comfortable talking to someone who wasn't an authority figure," Hotch told him.

Reid didn't say anything nor did he look up. Though he felt like he was making progress, Hotch knew he had to handle this delicately. He knew that if Reid quit, the bureau would be losing someone who one day was going to be a top notch agent. Right now, he was the only thing standing in the way of that happening.

Hotch's phone rang. The agent took the phone out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. Gideon's name was on the screen. ~_It must be past seven_, ~ Hotch thought, getting to his feet. He walked toward the door before answering the call.

"Agent Hotchner," he said, glancing at his watch as he did so. It was five minutes after seven. Gideon was big on punctuality.

"Everything okay? It's not like you to be late," Gideon asked.

"We're dealing with some issues. Why don't you and the others go on ahead? Reid and I will meet you at the station."

"What's going on?"

Hotch glanced over his shoulder briefly. Reid hadn't moved from his previous position.

"Reid is ready to quit," Hotch said, lowering his voice even more.

"Damn. Do you need help?"

"No. I think both of us at this point would only overwhelm him," Hotch told the unit chief. "Though you may want to talk to him at a latter point. Apparently he's heard people at the office saying he shouldn't be in the BAU. Some reassurance from you might help."

"Okay," Gideon replied. "I'll do that. I'm also going to have a talk with Hudson. I'm sure his attitude toward Reid hasn't helped things any. Join us when you can."

"We shouldn't be long," Hotch assured him. Ending the call, he tucked the phone back into the inside pocket of his jacket, and turned back to the table he had left Reid sitting at. The younger agent was getting to his feet. "Sit down. We're not through yet," Hotch told him.

"I've already made us late."

"No, I'm making us late and I'm going to make us a little later because we're not through with this discussion. They can handle things without us for a little bit, not to mention they need to grab breakfast first," Hotch said, although he knew breakfast for this team while on a case often meant grabbing something simple that could be eaten on the go. "Now sit back down."

Reid complied without a word. His gaze followed Hotch as the older agent walked back toward the table and then sat back down across from him. As his training agent gazed across the table at him though, Reid lowered his gaze to the table once more.

Hotch decided the best direction to go in at this point was to help Reid put the situation in another perspective. He didn't need to necessarily convince him not to quit at this point but he did need to get Reid to at least think things through a little more. With any luck, this day would go better than the day before and possibly boost the new agent's confidence a little.

"Reid, how long have you been out of the academy?"

"Ten days," he replied without hesitation.

"Do you really think that's enough time to be making a decision like resigning after you put in twenty weeks of training?" Hotch asked.

"No," the younger agent said very softly.

"There's a reason the bureau has a two year probationary period for new agents, it's because the academy can't teach you everything. There is a lot about this job that you've got to learn out in the field, like how to deal with what we see at crime scenes. Photographs are one thing but seeing it in person is a completely different experience as you found out yesterday. No one is going to hold your first time reaction to something like that against you. Nor are we going to hold mistakes made against you. We're all human. It happens and when you're in a new situation and are getting a whole bunch of things thrown at you at one time, it's going to happen more. I don't even have to turn in your first evaluation for sixty days and even then that first evaluation is basically a determination of if you are learning from your mistakes. Not making the same ones twice."

"And Reid, I know haven't taken it easy on you. It seems to be an unwritten rule in the bureau that we ease new agents into the job," Hotch told him, though that hadn't been his own experience. His own training officer had believed in putting new agents out in the field as much as possible. _"Anyone can do the office part of the job," his training agent had told him one day, not long after his graduation. "It's how you handle the field work that determines if you're going to make it in this field or not_."

~_Maybe that's why I don't believe in trying to shield the new agents, ~ _Hotch thought as he continued to speak. "A lot of your classmates probably haven't left whatever office they're assigned to, yet and here you are on your third assignment. It's a lot to process in a short time, I get it, but this is the job. Trying to shield you from that isn't going to help in the long run, though maybe the fresh crime scene was a bit too much for you with everything else that is going on. If it was, that was my mistake. Like I said, we all make mistakes."

"If I can't handle a crime scene, then what right do I have to be in the FBI?"

"Reid you did handle it. You went back in. You didn't leave again until we were finished."

"I may have gone back in but I didn't handle it well. I still felt sick to my stomach. Still, had a hard time even looking at the body. What if that doesn't change?"

"Reid, if you go to a crime scene and don't feel anything, that's when I'll be worried," Hotch told him. "These were people with families and friends and jobs just like us. We all feel sympathy toward them because of that, some of us just show it more than others."

"It didn't seem like it bothered Hudson at all yesterday and you didn't even blink."

"Yeah, well like I said, some of us show it more than others. Just because I don't outwardly show any reaction doesn't mean I'm not feeling anything. I do this job because I want to be able to say that I at least brought these people's killers to justice even if it is too late for them."

"And Hudson?"

"I'm not sure. I've worked with him as much as you have as Gideon brought him onto the team while I was assigned to the academy. I doubt he was as unaffected by that crime scene as he appeared to be. He's probably developed his own coping mechanism over the years."

"Like?"

"Well, I gave you one, focusing on your goal of finding the person who did it. Others focus on bringing closure to those left behind. Another method is to detach yourself from the scene, tell yourself it isn't real, like its part of a movie or something." Hotch continued to give a few other examples, things that his training agent had once told him. "You'll figure out something that works for you."

Reid shook his head. "I don't think I can."

"You haven't even given yourself a chance to try," Hotch told him, knowing that trying to convince him that he could, right now with him in the frame of mind that he was in, would be impossible. The best he could do right now was to calm him down and keep the new agent from making any rushed decisions. Though Reid had said he was resigning after the case, Hotch felt he needed to reinforce that point. If he could keep Reid focused on the case, and nothing else went terribly wrong during it, then perhaps he could convince Reid of the mistake he would be making if he walked away from this job.

"Look, Reid, no matter what you decide to do, right now you're on a case and I need you to at least finish this case out."

"Of course," Reid replied quickly. "I never meant to imply otherwise."

"Okay, so for now, this conversation is on hold. That's not saying you can't come to me to talk things through. If something is bothering you or you need advice about something, I want you to talk to me but I don't want to hear another word about resigning until we get back to Quantico, do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now is there anything else you want to talk about right now?" Hotch asked, searching the younger agent's face.

"No, sir," Reid said, still not meeting his supervisor's gaze.

"Okay, well there is one thing I would like to add. The whole reason that I approached you that day, was that I saw the inherent talent you have for profiling, and that was just from facts given to you in a classroom. You have the ability to make a solid contribution to this team in every case we take, and I think it would be a loss for us and for the bureau if you were to just walk away. Things might seem a bit overwhelming right now, but even if you can't find self-confidence in your abilities right now, I want you to remember this - I've got confidence in you. Do you hear me?"

Across from him, Reid nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Okay, then why don't you take a few moments to collect yourself. I'll wait for you down in the lobby," Hotch told him. Reid nodded his consent as Hotch got to his feet. He stood there a moment before reaching out and resting his hand on Reid's shoulder. Reid looked at the hand but didn't meet Hotch's gaze. "You're doing fine. Quit being so hard on yourself," Hotch told the younger agent.

Reid gave no reaction that he even heard Hotch's words, leaving the older agent wondering if it was even going to be possible to change the young agent's mind about resigning. Realizing he wasn't going to get any reaction or answer to his last comment, Hotch turned and headed toward the door. Everybody had their breaking point, and if Reid hadn't reached his, Hotch knew that the younger agent was close to it.

~_I'm going to have to be careful of how much I expose him to for the duration of this case if I've got any hope of keeping him from resigning, _~ Hotch thought as he strode toward the elevator. _~If I can keep him at the station today that would be ideal. Keep him involved in the case but in a semi-controlled environment.~_

Hotch stepped onto the elevator hoping that he would be able to stick to that plan of action. This job was anything but predictable and Hotch knew that circumstances could very well arise that would change those plans.

It wasn't long before the elevator doors were opening on the lobby. As Hotch stepped out into the lobby, he was surprised to see Morgan leaning against a pillar in the middle of the lobby, with direct line of sight to the elevator. The other agent spotted Hotch at about the same time, and pushing off the pillar, started walking toward the older agent, taking a sip of the cup of coffee from the cup he was holding.

"I thought you would have gone ahead to the station with Gideon?" Hotch questioned, as he met the younger agent halfway.

"Gideon got a call from Detective Torres right after he hung up with you. There was another murder, and they think it might be connected. Gideon took Hudson with him to meet Torres at that crime scene and told me to hang back and wait for you. Said we should get a hold of Nichols once we get there and work on victimology."

Hotch nodded his acknowledgment.

"Gideon didn't seem too happy after talking to you. What's going on?" Morgan asked.

"Reid is talking about resigning," Hotch told him, feeling that Morgan deserved to know at least that much, though he wasn't about to go into the Reid's reasons for it.

"I'm sorry, Hotch."

Hotch shook his head slightly. "No, this isn't your fault. It's a combination of things."

"True, but I don't think I helped any and given my conversation with him last night, I'm sure I'm a factor in it."

Unable to deny the other agent's words, Hotch remained silent.

"Is he coming?"

"Yeah. He's going to finish out this case. As long as nothing else goes wrong during this case, I may have a chance of convincing him not to go through with resigning when we get back home."

"Can I try talking to him alone?" Morgan asked. At Hotch's questioning glance, he continued. "At the very least, I'd like to make sure he knows there are no hard feelings about what happened last night and possibly get an explanation for some things he said to me last night."

Hotch nodded. He thought of Reid's reaction when he had mentioned that Morgan had told him about last night. A chance for the two of them to clear the air might be just what Reid needed at this point. "Just don't push him, Morgan. If he tells you that he doesn't want to talk about it, drop the subject."

"Walk on eggshells with him. Got it?" Morgan said lightly, though Hotch could see by the expression on Morgan's face that he was taking the older agent's words serious.

"Where did you get the coffee?" Hotch asked.

Morgan pointed to a corner of the lobby where complimentary coffee and hot tea was set up.


	19. Possible Suspect

Morgan refilled his coffee cup while Hotch got himself a cup. Coffee in hand, Hotch headed out to the SUV to wait for the other two agents. Alone again, Morgan decided to have a cup of coffee ready for the younger agent when he came down, a type of peace offering. He figured it might help break the ice between them and that it sure couldn't hurt. Having seen the younger agent prepare himself coffee back at the BAU, Morgan knew Reid didn't put milk in it and he took his best guess at the correct amount of sugar.

Now, with a coffee cup in both hands, Morgan was back at the pillar, his gaze focused on the elevator. It wasn't more than five minutes after he had returned to that position that Reid made his appearance in the lobby. The older agent didn't miss the look of surprise that crossed Reid's face on spotting him. It was clear that he was the last person the young agent was expecting to see.

"Hotch is waiting in the car," Morgan said, in way of an explanation as he walked toward Reid. "Coffee?" he asked, holding out the cup.

"Thanks," Reid said softly, accepting the cup from Morgan.

"I took a guess at the sugar."

"I'm sure it's fine," Reid said, absently as he tried to get the courage to voice what he wanted to say. Deciding it wasn't going to get any easier, he rushed on. "Morgan, I'm sorry I snapped at you and closed the door in your face last night. I guess I didn't even give you a chance to explain anything."

"No, you didn't," Morgan admitted, surprised and relieved that the young man had apologized. He knew from experience that it was a difficult thing to do, especially when you were apologizing to someone who you were trying to gain respect from. "Apology accepted," he said easily. "I'm sure the last couple of days hasn't been easy for you, though I came to your room on my own free will last night. No one sent me. I just thought you might want to talk to someone who wasn't an authority figure."

"I know. Hotch told me," Reid replied, studying the lid of the coffee cup.

"Look, Reid, if I made you feel unwelcome here, then I'm sorry. That wasn't my intent. Am I skeptical of your abilities out in the field? Yes. I'll admit that but no more than any other new agent I'd have to work with. I haven't worked with you long yet but if you keep handling yourself like you did when we were out at Hogan's Alley, you'll change that soon enough and remember when we're out in the field I've got your back, just like any other agent who carries a badge."

Reid chanced a look up at the other agent and was relieved not to see any trace of humor on his face. He wasn't sure what to say though, so he simply nodded in acknowledgment of the older man's words.

"Now, do you think you could tell me what you meant by 'that's what they all say'?"

Reid immediately looked back down at his coffee cup, not at all sure how to answer. There was no way he was going to tell his fellow agent what his years in high school had been like. It was too humiliating. At the same time dismissing it just seemed rude.

Morgan watched the younger man as he waited for an answer. Red opened his mouth and then close it again, and his posture became stiffer. It was obvious the question was making Reid uncomfortable and remembering Hotch's words Morgan knew that now wasn't the time to press the issue.

"It's fine, you don't need to explain," Morgan told him. "I meant what I said last night though, You can talk to me about anything and if any of my teasing has hurt your feelings, I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention."

Reid nodded. His mouth felt dry and he didn't even attempt to speak, not sure he could.

Sensing that Reid wasn't in the mood to continue the conversation and not wanting to make things worse, Morgan decided now wasn't the time to continue the current line of conversation. ~_I only hoped that what has been said helped and didn't make things worse, _~ Morgan thought.

"Come on," Morgan said, reaching out and resting his hand on Reid's shoulder. He felt more than saw the slight flinch that gesture invoked, and removed his hand. "Hotch is waiting for us."

Reid nodded again and then followed Morgan out of the hotel, taking a sip of the coffee that Morgan had handed him.

Though Morgan wasn't sure if the conversation had helped or not, he was sure of one thing. Hotch was right. Reid had definitely taken things he had said seriously, even when he had been only teasing the younger agent. Morgan thought about his own childhood. He'd taken some teasing from other kids, at least until his sophomore year. Until he finally decided that he'd had enough of it and started standing up for himself. He glanced over at the younger agent walking beside him. Somehow, he had a feeling that the teasing he had endured had been mild compared to what Reid had gone through.

~_It's completely possible that Reid's seeing my actions as another version of that bullying, _~ Morgan theorized. ~_If I'm right, I'm going to have to prove to him that I'm really not like that because no matter what I say, he's never going to believe it. Not now._~

Morgan and Reid reached the SUV, Morgan climbing into the passenger, as Reid got in the back. The ride to the police station was quiet and completed with only one interruption; a stop at a convenience store to pick up breakfast sandwiches. At the station, a deputy asked politely if they needed anything as the three profilers headed for the conference room they had set up in the day before. Hotch told her they were fine for now, and she went back to her work. With both Torres and Curtis at the new crime scene, it was just the three profilers.

Entering the room, Morgan went to one end of the table, and began getting out his laptop. The first thing they needed to do was make contact with Nichols, who hopefully by this time would have the searches on the previous victims completed. By piecing together where the victims had gone the last few days of their lives, perhaps they could figure out where their paths might have crossed the UnSub's.

As Reid took a seat at the table, and unfolded the map on which the geographical profile had been started the day before, Hotch walked to the bulletin board displaying each victim's photos. He glanced at the information displayed once again, looking for a pattern. Veronica Sykes picture had been added and quite possibly a seventh photo might be going up on the board soon. As Hotch stared at the information, the causes of death began to stick out. The UnSub had strangled his first two victims, then shot one and drowned the forth but returned to strangling on the fifth and sixth victims. ~_Is it some sort of pattern or has he decided he liked strangling his victims the best? ~ _Hotch silently asked himself.

"What was the address of the crime scene that Gideon and Hudson were headed too?" Reid asked.

"678 Essex Street," Morgan replied, the laptop now opened in front of him. "They aren't sure it's connected yet though?" he cautioned.

"I know, I just want to see . . ." Reid let the statement hang in the air, as a realization hit him. "That's the same apartment building that the second victim, Kim Blaze lived in."

Morgan looked at Reid and then glanced at Hotch who was standing in front of the board. Hotch met his gaze and gave a single nod, indicating that Reid was correct. Making a connection to the repeated address was one thing but to remember which victim lived at that address . . .

Morgan looked back at Reid. "How did you know which victim lived at that address?"

"I do have an eidetic memory. I remember anything I read."

"Must be nice," Morgan commented. "So if this is the work of our UnSub, what does it tell us?"

"That he is limiting himself to a certain area of the city," Hotch said. "How big of an area was in the center of the first six crime scenes?" Hotch asked, turning from the board and looking to Reid.

Reid glanced down at the map in front of him, though he didn't need it to answer the question. "We're looking at roughly a five by seven block area."

"It could be that the place where our UnSub meets up with his victim's is within that area. A common place that all these women frequent," Hotch said.

"Well that narrow it downs some, but it's still a big area to cover," Morgan commented, as he tried to make a connection with Nichols back in Quantico.

"It's at least a place to start."

Nichols' face popped up on the screen. "Morning guys. Hope the weather is better up that way, because it's pouring down here. Kind of glad I didn't go home last night because I would have gotten soaked coming back in."

"I hope you got some sleep last night," Hotch said.

"Course I did. What do you think that couch in my office is for? I may be a good-looking guy but up until three years ago, I was a happily married man and I haven't exactly gotten back on the dating scene yet, though the waitress Morgan set me up with was interesting to say the least."

"Just trying to help a pal out," Morgan commented.

"No, you just wanted some time alone with her twin which meant you had to find someone to hang out with her, so the sister would leave with you. Just because I don't chase everything in a skirt, doesn't mean I don't know how guys like you think, Morgan. Anyway, I got some sleep here at the office last night, Stick," Nichols said, quite aware of the set of Hotch's jaw at the use of the nickname. He knew the younger agent didn't particularly care for it, and didn't use it much. "A little cramped but it does the job in a pinch. What's going on up North?"

"Gideon and Hudson are checking out what could be a seventh murder related to this case," Hotch replied, not commenting on the nickname that Nichols had given him on the second day the two of them had worked together.

His more rigid personality had clashed with the computer specialist's easy-going one when the team had first been formed. After he had accused Nichols of thinking their work was a joke, the older man had told him to 'take the stick out of his ass before passing judgement on other people' before stalking off. He had apologized to Nichols the following day, and after discussing things the two had soon come to accept one another as they were. Nichols tended to throw the nickname Stick out there when he thought Hotch needed to lighten up, being too critical or micro-managing. Hotch assumed it was the last in this instance.

"Damn," Nichols muttered.

"How's your search on the six victims coming?"

"I'm finished. Sent the information to the station via fax a few moments ago, so it should be coming your way soon," Nichols said. Right on cue, the fax machine in the conference room came to life. Already standing, Hotch walked over to the machine to collect it, as Nichols continued talking. "The library seems to be the only thing all six of them have in common. Though only Shelly Long and Mia Koontz have recent checkouts at the Bangor Public Library, I checked the records and all six victims have cards with the library, and Margaret Downey has been head librarian for the library for the last six years."

Reid reached into his messenger bag, which was sitting on the chair next to him, looking for something. "What's the address of the library?" he asked, pulling out a sheet of tracing paper and a marker. Nichols gave him the address as Reid placed the tracing paper over his map.

"Now there are several places that at least four of the six have in common and a few that all but Rita Jade have in common. Of course, from the looks of it, Rita is not to found of modern technology as I was able to trace very few transactions to her. There are no credit or debit records for her during the time period, as far as I can tell she has only one credit card in her name, and apparently uses her cell phone only when necessary."

"Give us the names and addresses of the places at least five of them have in common," Hotch instructed as he gathered the last piece of paper from the fax machine and headed toward the table.

Nichols read off the short list. With the tracing paper over top of the map, Reid marked each location, using a different color than what he had marked the position of the library in.

"The library, the tailor shop and the movie rental place all lie within the five by seven area surrounded by the crime sites," Reid said, shortly after Nichols finished his list.

"They're places to start," Morgan commented, looking toward Hotch.

The senior agent nodded. "I'm going to check in with Gideon to see how he wants to proceed," Hotch replied, taking his phone out of his pocket and heading toward the door of the conference room.

"So, what were the other places that at least four of our victims have in common," Morgan asked the technical specialist as Hotch left the room.

* * *

"So what's your issue with, Dr. Reid?" Gideon asked, as he sat in the passenger seat of the SUV and Hudson drove them to the latest crime scene.

"Who says I have an issue with the ne . . . Agent Reid?" Hudson said, correcting himself, and using Reid's proper name.

"No one has said anything. However, your attitude toward him says otherwise," Gideon commented, glancing over at the agent who was driving. "The sarcastic comments during the briefing yesterday were the latest indication."

Hudson didn't comment, but kept his eyes focused on the road. The GPS on Hudson's phone warned of an upcoming turn.

"You know there is no reason to feel threatened by him," Gideon commented after the turn had been made. They were now on the road the apartment building they were heading to was on. "We brought Reid in to fill the vacancy that Collin's departure left."

"Threatened by Reid," Hudson commented with a short laugh. "So much for your profiling skills."

Gideon smiled not at all convinced by the other agent's easy dismissal of the assessment. "It's understandable," he continued. "I mean you've worked hard to get here. Have been turned down for a position with the BAU several times, once by me, so it's only natural that you feel a need to prove yourself. Now this kid comes along, and gets appointed to the BAU right out of the academy, despite the normal two years of experience before joining the BAU requirement, it's only natural that you feel a bit frustrated. More of a need to prove yourself," Gideon continued calmly, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

In the driver's seat, Hudson opened his mouth to make another protest. However, Gideon didn't give him a chance as he spoke again.

"Reid was brought onto this team because Hotch saw potential in him during the Academy and so did I during my interview with him. Yes, he's inexperienced but then everyone is when they start out, however he brings to this team some unique abilities just like everyone on this team does. Do you know why I finally decided to give you a spot on this team?"

"No, sir," Hudson said.

"Well, your persistence for one thing. You wanted a spot in the Behavioral Analysis Unit and every time it opened up. You submitted your request for a transfer. It didn't matter that you had been turned down before, you wanted something and you weren't going to quit trying. What made a difference this time over the time I overlooked you for a position was two things, a comment made by your superior at your previous assignment and team dynamics. In your last review your superior had made a comment about your ability to stay objective in a situation and look at things from more than one point of view. That's an invaluable skill in our line of work and I value it."

Hudson nodded, taking his superior's words seriously. "You mentioned team dynamics played a role this time to?" he ventured as he pulled the vehicle alongside the curb outside of the apartment building. The two could see Detective Torres standing at the bottom of the front steps waiting for them.

"Yes. Morgan was a part of the team this time around. He may be good at dealing with people but patience is one virtue that he does not posses. He's more likely to rush head first into a situation without stopping and thinking things through. I needed someone to counter that and the two of you compliment each other better than I had hoped, especially giving your knack of aggravating local law enforcement personnel. This isn't just about finding agents who can do the job but finding agents that can work within the team dynamics. You've proven that you can do the job. I'm starting to have my doubt about your ability to work within in the team, though."

"Because I've questioned what Reid has to say. Just because he's a genius doesn't mean he is always right. Isn't that the reason we work on these cases as a team? To cover all the bases and work things out. To ask questions."

"I've got no problem with you questioning him if it's productive. What I've got a problem with is the sarcasm with which those questions are asked. I'm not saying that you've got to agree with him or even like him, but don't automatically dismiss something just because he's the one that said it. He went through the same training that you did to become an FBI agent, and that in itself earns him the right to a little professional courtesy." Gideon told him. "Think about what I've said," he added as he opened the door to the SUV.

"Yes, sir," Hudson said, as he checked the street for oncoming traffic before pushing his own door open. Though there was nothing official about the conversation that had just taken place, Hudson knew that he had just been reprimanded and though deep down he knew it wasn't true, his first instinct was to want to blame Reid for it. Shoving the vehicle door shut with more force than was necessary, Hudson followed his superior toward the building.

The subject of team issues was dropped by the two profilers as they approached the Bangor detective waiting on the steps.

"Hank already went inside," Detective Torres said after the three exchanged greetings. "Cops who got the call say there was a white rose next to the body like the others," he told them as the group started up the steps. "The apartment belongs to Rebecca Coombs. The building's superintendent has identified the body as that of the tenant. We're working on contacting next of kin. The Crime Scene Unit just got here a few minutes ago. Not sure if it's significant or not, but this is the same building that Kim Blaze, the second victim, lived in."

"It could be very significant," Gideon commented. "Where is Rebecca's apartment in relation to Kim's?"

Torres shook his head as he started leading the two FBI agents up the stairs at the one end of the building. "Nowhere near one another. Kim's apartment was on the sixth floor and on the opposite end of the building. Rebecca's is on the second floor, right outside the door to this stairwell."

Gideon's phone rang. Taking it out, the federal agent glanced at the screen before putting to his ear as they reached the second floor landing.

"Go ahead, Hotch," Gideon said, ignoring customary greetings. They were in the middle of a case and the unit chief was all business.

"We've got one site that has a connection to all of the victims that is central to the crimes sites. Two other businesses were frequented by at least five of the six that we can trace. I want to go down and talk to the employees there, see if we can find out anything useful."

"Okay. Are you taking Reid with you?" Gideon asked.

"I'm not letting him out of my sight today. Not after the conversation we had this morning," Hotch replied. "Should I take Morgan too or leave him at the station?"

"He'll drive them crazy if you leave him at the station. I'll have Torres send someone to pair up with Morgan, and that way you can cover the places quicker," Gideon replied. "I think this victim is going to turn out to be part of this case, as there's a white rose on the scene. Soon as we make a determination, I'll get in touch with Nichols with a name. This UnSub could very well be in a frenzy which means we're racing the clock."

"Understood. I'll send Morgan to the Bangor Public Library first. You can have the local officer meet up with him there."

"Okay. Talk to you later."

Gideon ended the call and turned toward Torres. "My men have some businesses the victim's all frequented that they're going to check out. Can you have someone meet Agent Morgan at the Bangor Public Library? I'd prefer not to have him out there without some back-up."

"If you think you can deal with Curtis," Torres told him, with a nod toward the door leading out of the stairwell, "I'll go myself. There is really no need for both of us to be at this crime scene."

"Not a problem. Curtis isn't the first detective I've had to work with who has no use for the FBI."

"Okay, then. The apartment is on your left as you go through the door. With everyone who's there already, you won't miss it."

That being said, Torres headed back down the steps, with a quick nod toward Hudson as he passed. The two federal agents headed out of the stairwell and into the second floor hallway of 678 Essex.

* * *

Agents Hotchner watched the reaction of the young lady who was currently working the front desk of the Bangor Tailor Shop as Reid laid out the pictures of their victims one by one. The lady had seemed nervous ever since Hotch had shown her his badge, but no more so then the clerk at the movie rental store they had just come from. The veteran profiler watched the one closely for any nonverbal signs of recognition that she might give upon seeing the pictures.

"Well," the lady said hesitantly as she studied the picture of Mia Koontz that Reid had placed on the counter second to last, having laid out the pictures in the order the victim's had been killed. "I can say for sure that she is one of our customers. She was in here two days ago, around noon. I remember because we had some trouble locating the pants suit that she had dropped off to have dry cleaned." The tailor shop employee glanced over the rest of the pictures one more time. "The rest of them, I couldn't say one way or the other. Never was much for remembering faces. I'm sorry."

"The one you did recognize, do you recall if she was in here by herself?" Hotch asked.

"No. There was someone with her. A female, looked to be about the same age. Figured it was a friend of hers."

"Any interactions or altercations with any of your other patrons at the time?"

"No."

"Did anyone seem to be paying particular attention to her?"

"Not that I recall," the lady said with a shake of her head.

"Does the shop have security cameras?"

"Just the one on the back door," the employee replied.

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" a man asked, as he came out from the back of the shop. He was about six feet tall, broad shouldered and had wavy blonde hair.

"There's no problem here, Jack," the shop employee answered, turning to face the newcomer. "These gentlemen are from the FBI. They're investigating some murders in the area."

"And your investigation led you to my shop?" Jack replied, his voice retaining the same calm, reassuring tone that his previous question had been asked in.

Watching him though, Reid noticed that after the mention of the FBI, the man had started tapping the fingers of his left hand against the side of his leg.

"You are?" Hotch asked.

"Jack Carmichael," the man replied. "I own this shop. It's been in my family for three generations."

"We've been able to track at least five of our victims as patrons of your shop, Mr. Carmichael," Hotch told the man.

Standing silently beside the older agent, Reid watched the shop owner closely. He noted that the tapping fingers had gotten faster as Hotch continued to speak. The profiler could tell the man was nervous despite his outward display of calm.

"We have a lot of people who use this shop, sir."

"I'm sure you do. We're just trying to track the last moments of the victims' life to see if we can determine where they may have encountered our UnSub, all we are asking are routine questions," Hotch assured him. "Would you mind taking a look at these pictures and tell us if you recall seeing any of these women in your shop?"

Jack glanced down at the pictures still laid out on the counter top. Though he didn't show any signs of recognition, verbal or nonverbal, Reid got the impression that the man did recognize all of the photos.

After scanning them, he looked up at Agent Hotchner, "I'm sorry, sir. None of them look familiar. As I've said, we have a lot of customers though."

"Yes, you have mentioned that," Hotch replied, nodding to Reid to gather up the photos. After all the photographs were back in the file Reid was carrying, and the younger agent was tucking it into his bag, Hotch addressed both the man and the woman. "Thank-you both for your time. If either of you thinks of anything else, please give us a call," he told them, reaching into his pocket and pulling out one of his cars. The federal agent handed the card to Jack who hesitantly took it.

Hotch turned and headed for the exit, Reid following him. Reaching the door, Reid glanced back over his shoulder to see Jack Carmichael heading back into the back of the shop. As he walked past a trash can, the man tossed the card into it. Puzzled, Reid continued out of the shop. Once out on the sidewalk, the two federal agents saw Morgan and Torres walking up the sidewalk in their direction.

"Any leads at the library?" Hotch asked, as he met up with the Morgan and Torres, two shops down from the tailor shop.

Morgan shook his head. "The employees there didn't recognize anyone except for Margaret Downey. From their reports Downey was a model employee, always on time, always willing to help anyone out that she could. No one could think of any reason someone might have targeted her nor did they notice anyone hanging around watching her or anyone for that matter. They have agreed to let us look at the security tapes if we so desire. Not sure what good it will do us at this point but at least we know they are willing to cooperate. What about at these places?" Morgan asked, waving a hand at the movie rental shop across the street from them and nodding in the direction of the tailor shop that Hotch and Reid had just left.

"Nothing of much help. The lady in the tailor shop remembers seeing Mia the day before she was killed but didn't remember anyone watching her while she was in the shop. Neither place recognized any of the others. The manager of the movie rental shop is willing to let us look at the security tapes if need be, but the tailor shop has only one camera on the back door which probably won't do us any good. The owner of the tailor shop seemed a bit defensive when I started asking questions, but he seemed to be cooperative. I don't think either place is going to get us anywhere."

Morgan glanced from Hotch to Reid, who had remained quiet but seemed to be deep in thought.

"What are your thoughts, Reid?" Morgan asked, sure that the new agent wasn't about to volunteer anything at this point.

Reid opened his mouth to speak. As if he thought better of it, he closed his mouth again, with a shake of his head. The young agent shifted his gaze to the sidewalk. "It's nothing," he murmured.

Morgan switched his gaze to Hotch. The two profilers exchanged silent words. Morgan was positive Reid had something to say, but was hesitant to say anything in conflict with Hotch. A single nod told Morgan that Hotch had gotten the message.

"Did you notice something I missed, Reid?" Hotch questioned. He knew he wasn't perfect nor could he be aware of everything that was going on while he was questioning someone.

"It was probably nothing," Reid said quickly.

"Maybe, maybe not," Hotch said. "We never know what might be important to breaking a case until afterwards. What was it?"

"Well, despite his outward calm, I think Jack Carmichael was nervous and the more you questioned him the more nervous he became. He was tapping the fingers of his left hand against his legs and the motion got faster as the conversation went on."

"Like a nervous twitch. As if he was afraid of you two seeing through the act he was putting on," Morgan commented.

"And when we were leaving, Carmichael threw the card you had given him into the trash. He's got no intention of calling us about anything."

"You guys think he's hiding something?" Torres asked.

"It certainly seems that way," Hotch said, replaying the short interview with Carmichael, trying to decide if he had read the man right in light of Reid's observations. _~The guy did seem a little too calm, ~ _Hotch admitted. "Of course even if he is, it could be in absolutely no way related to the case, but we shouldn't just dismiss it until we know for sure."

"I know one way to find out one way or the other," Torres commented, getting out his radio and arranging for plainclothes officers to tail Carmichael.


	20. Support From Home Base

AN: I think I've caught them all, but while editing this chapter I realized I had changed the suspect's name - it is Jack Carmichael - so if you come across a Jake Carmichael sorry. The Jakes are supposed to be Jack not another character being introduced.

* * *

"Damn this guy is good," Nichols commented, a trace of admiration in his voice. The team's technical specialist was once again conversing with his teammates via web cam.

Both Agents Morgan and Reid were back in the conference room at the 8th precinct station. They were the only two currently there as Hudson and Gideon had not yet returned from the crime scene they had gone to this morning and Hotch was making a food run, getting hoagies for everyone at a deli recommended by Torres. As for the Bangor detective, he had retreated to his desk to check messages, return any necessary phone calls, and to make further arrangements to cover a continuous surveillance on Jack Carmichael.

Morgan wore a perplexed look as he looked at the image of Nichols' face up on the screen. He could tell by the other agent's gaze that his attention was focused on one of his other screens. While he knew Nichols was good when it came to computers, he had only just given him Jack Carmichael's name. Morgan found it hard to believe he'd have gotten a whole lot of information back from a search yet.

"Carmichael?" Morgan questioned, glancing over at Reid who was sitting next to him at the table. The younger agent was occupied with putting a pen back together that he had taken a part while they were talking to Nichols.

"What?" Nichols said, making it clear that Morgan had brought him out of his own thoughts. "Oh, no sorry. I was referring to our hacker friend. He's made it really hard to trace him," Nichols commented, and continued by going into a drawn out explanation of how he was trying to back trace the route the hacker had used to violate the FBI database. Morgan understood the general idea of back tracing and after that everything his teammate said was way over his head. ~_He might as well be speaking in another language_, ~ Morgan thought.

"Yeah," Morgan said, drawing out the word as he said it. "Sounds complicated. What about our suspect?"

"Okay, I hear you, not at all interested in the hunt for the hacker," Nichols replied, a smile on his face. His two teammates could see Nichols' gaze switch from one screen to another. "Okay, Jacob M. Carmichael took over the Bangor Tailor Shop twelve years ago at the age of nineteen following the death of his father. He was nineteen at the time. According to state police records he has no criminal record, and let's see Bangor police system has no records on Carmichael . . . wait no that isn't exactly true. Looks like he has a sealed juvenile record."

"Can you open it?" Morgan asked.

"You need to learn some patience, Grasshopper," Nichols replied, his attention on the screens before him and not the web camera.

Morgan smiled and rolled his eyes, though the expression was lost on Nichols.

"Okay, so Jack Carmichael was arrested twice for assault as a teen," Nichols continued having opened the supposedly sealed file. "First time he was fifteen, second time at the age of seventeen. Both times it was deemed self defense - Carmichael claimed he was defending himself and his younger sister."

"Protecting them from what?" Morgan asked.

"Their father. According to the Carmichael their father had gotten overly violent with them. As there were fresh bruises on the younger sister and there had been several calls from hospital to investigate injuries to both kids, the judge was inclined to give Jack the benefit of the doubt despite the sister's unwillingness to say anything about any of the charges. He served community service and after the second time, Child Protective Services removed the kids from the father's custody. The younger sister was placed with a foster family. CPS couldn't place Jack, not really a surprise there, so he became an emancipated minor."

"So its no wonder this guy would have an issue with cops or any authority figures," Morgan commented. "What was the sister's name?"

"Erin Carmichael," Nichols responded. "I can't seem to find a record for either of them within the Bangor CPS system but they just went computerized up there about five years ago so it might not have been entered in the system yet if the case wasn't active and from the looks of things Erin would have already turned eighteen by that point."

"Okay, so I'll give CPS a call and see if they can find the Carmichael file," Morgan said, "See if there is anything useful in it." The dark-skinned agent got to his feet. "Keep digging Nichols. Right now this guy is our only lead in this case and this UnSub is out of control."

"I'm doing the best I can. Never realized how much time the bureau's centralized data base can actually save even with its limitations," Nichols replied.

From his chair, Reid watched as Morgan walked around the table and out of the room. He was starting to feel as if his was invisible, when Nichols' voice broke through his thoughts.

"How are you doing, Junior?" Nichols asked, glancing toward the web cam in time to see Reid jump at the sound of his voice. Despite the reality of the dire situation they were facing with this case and the clock they were racing against before the UnSub struck again, the tech specialist laughed. "You're wound kind of tight, aren't you?"

Reid looked at the computer. Over the connection via the web cam, Reid found Nichols eyes watching him intently. He could tell that despite the fact that he was miles away, his teammate was trying to gauge him. Reid looked down at the table, reaching for the pen he had put back together and placed on the surface, feeling uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"Feeling a bit overwhelmed right about now?" Nichols asked, when he got no reply from Reid. The only answer he got to this third question was the younger agent's nod. "Well I doubt this will be the only time you'll feel this way. We've all been there at some point. We'll all probably face it again before we retire. It comes with the territory."

Reid was sure the older agent was just saying the words to make him feel better. Somehow he couldn't imagine either Gideon or Hotch being overwhelmed by anything. Deciding that he wanted to voice the doubt inside him to someone and that Nichols at least wouldn't make fun of him to his face, Reid finally spoke.

"What if I've got us wasting time looking into someone that has no connection to our case?"

"First off, no one is wasting time. We're looking into a potential lead and not all leads pan out. Secondly, I'm not there, so I don't know why we're looking into this Carmichael guy, an occupational hazzard of being left at the office I only know what you guys tell me, but someone else has got to agree with you that this is worth looking into. Hotch and Gideon aren't the types that are going to run with something just to humor someone or to waste resources trying to prove to someone they're wrong."

"I'm not sure I can do this job."

"Junior, ninety-nine percent of the agents you graduated with are feeling that way right now."

Reid looked at the older agent skeptically.

"Believe me. I've been there, seems like a long time ago now, but I remember being fresh out of the academy myself. Always worried you're going to make a mistake. Feeling pressured to prove you can do the job. Worried about what your Probationary Agent is going to write in their evaluation of you. With the exception of a few, every one of us has been there."

"What about the other one percent?" Reid asked, unable to stop himself from asking the question.

"Those would be those one or two people in every graduating class that already thinks they know everything the minute they are sworn in as an agent. They're the ones who run head-first into everything, and won't listen to anyone around them until something brings them crashing back to reality - usually the proverbial brick wall they run face first into. I've worked with a few of those people over the years and they're the ones you've got to watch out for. The ones who are going to get somebody killed."

Reid didn't say anything in response to Nichols' answer. As the older agent went back to his information search he did decide to make one more comment to the younger agent. "Reid, you're going to make mistakes along the way and not just now but a couple years down the road too. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes, that's just part of human nature and despite your eidetic memory and an IQ of 187, you are still human. Besides, it's not like you did what I did the first time I got to go on an assignment that took me outside the office."

"Which was?" Reid asked, feeling curiosity despite the other turmoil of feelings that was churning within.

"My first assignment was to the San Antonio field office. For two weeks my training officer kept me busy around the office. I was starting to feel like I was never going to be let out in the field and when he finally told me that the two of us were going to go interview a person of interest I was so excited. So excited in fact that when I went to get out of the vehicle once we had reached our destination I forgot to unbuckle my seat belt. The next time we went out, my supervisor had taped a piece of paper to the passenger side dash which read - Instructions for Getting Out of the Vehicle and step one in big bold letters was - Unfasten Seatbelt."

Reid smiled at the story in spite himself, secretly glad that he hadn't done anything that embarrassing yet.

"You're doing fine, Junior. Just relax and do your best. That is all anyone is expecting of you and any time you need to talk, I'm here for you and so is Hotch. Just remember that."

Reid nodded, feeling a bit better than he had before. He was going to say something else when Hudson walked into the room.

"Well, its official, this UnSub has killed seven people so far," Hudson said, walking over to the bulletin board. He tacked a few more photos to the board before turning toward Reid and the laptop.

Reid had already grabbed the stack of unlined index cards that had been left on the table and was writing Rebecca Coombs name on one of them. Hudson came over, and placing one hand on the back of the chair Reid was sitting in, addressed Nichols.

"Did you get the information on Rebecca Coombs yet?"

"Yes, I got the same info for her as I did the other victims. She has a library checkout for the day before her death, a movie rental two days prior but nothing linking her to the tailor shop. I'll go ahead and fax the information to you all."

"Well, Gideon and I managed to do that. We found a receipt from the tailor shop in her apartment," Hudson replied. "Here, let me have that," he said to Reid, reaching for the index card the younger agent had finished writing on.

Hudson walked over to the bulletin board as he continued talking. "Gideon went to talk to Torres about finding out if Rita's apartment had been cleared out or not yet. She's our only victim that we haven't been able to link to the tailor shop."

"She's also the one that has no link to the movie rental place either. The store manager gave me access to their records and she has never had membership with the store."

"So we're down to the library and tailor shop being our common links between the victims," Hudson commented.

Before either of the three could say anything else, Hotch walked into the room with the bag from the deli.

"Where did Morgan get to?" Hotch asked, placing the bag on the table.

"He went to call Child Protection Services," Reid responded. "Jack Carmichael and his younger sister were removed from their father's custody when he was seventeen. Morgan is trying to get a hold of the file."

"We're in luck," Gideon said walking into the room. "Rita's next of kin hasn't gotten around to touching anything in her apartment and Torres was able to get permission for us to look through it again. Hudson, after you guys eat I want you and Morgan to head over there and see if anything was missed." Gideon paused as he looked around the room. "Where is Morgan?"

Before anyone could answer him, Morgan walked up behind him.

"Right behind you," Morgan replied, causing Gideon to look over his shoulder. "I talked to CPS. They're going to check their archives and see if they can come up with the file for the Carmichaels. If they find it, they'll fax it over," Morgan finished, stepping aside to let Torres come into the room.

"Hey guys," Nichols said, his voice coming over the computer speakers. "Here is something interesting. I found a death certificate for Emily Vaughn Carmichael, Jack and Erin's mother, as well as Erin. Emily was killed in a car accident, when Jack was eleven and Erin was five. Erin was killed in a car accident about three weeks ago. Her car caught on fire, and the body had to be identified through dental records. I've got pictures of both of them and both women were blondes."

"Three weeks puts it right before these murders started," Morgan commented.

"Suddenly losing his sister just like he did his mother would definitely be a stressor."

Gideon looked toward Reid. "Didn't you say something about the white rose being used in funeral arrangements?"

Reid nodded. "The white rose is used in funeral and sympathy arrangements to represent

honor and reverence. When used as a symbol of remembrance a white rose represents heavenliness, and is an expression of love and respect."

"So what are you saying, that this guy is leaving the white rose at the crime scenes to represent a floral funeral arrangement?" Torres asked. The Bangor city detective let his gaze shift from Reid, to Gideon as he asked the question.

"In a sense," Gideon replied. "More accurately, it could be that our UnSub is creating a way to say good-bye to a mother and sister that he never got a chance to say good-bye to in real life. The white rose left by the body is his final tribute to her."

"Should we bring Carmichael in for questioning?" Torres asked.

Gideon shook his head. "It would be premature at this point. We don't have any evidence really connecting him to the victim's or the crime scenes other than the fact that all of our victims seem to frequent his shop. For now let's keep a tail on him and keep working the profile in case we're wrong about Carmichael. Morgan and Hudson, I still want you to check out Rita's apartment again. The rest of us will head back to Rebecca's apartment building and talk to other tenant's there. Let's see if we can find anyone who recognizes Jack Carmichael's picture. If we can place him at the apartment building then we can go back and question him again."

* * *

Spencer Reid had never felt so tired as he did later that night, stepping off the elevator back at their hotel. Between not getting much sleep the night before and the busy day they'd had, Reid felt as if he was going to fall asleep on his feet. Even while he was at the academy he had never felt this tired at the end of the day. Of course, not having to cram in study time after the rest of the training was over for the day had helped him be free to go to sleep before his fellow trainees even putting in the extra training sessions with Hotch.

The only further development in the case they'd had was Hudson and Morgan being able to find garments still in the Bangor Tailor Shop bag in Rita's closet. The canvas of Rebecca's fellow tenants hadn't uncovered anyone who remembered seeing Jack Carmichael around the building. They had even canvassed Mia's apartment building with the same results. For now, all they could do was tail Carmichael and hope he did something incriminating. Gideon and Hotch had also briefed the Bangor police on the profile they had come up for. Though they were keeping an eye on Carmichael, Gideon was adamant that they shouldn't focus solely on him at this point in the case.

Reaching his hotel room, Reid slipped inside. He took a quick shower and changed into sweat pants and a T-shirt to sleep in. As inviting as the bed looked, Reid didn't give into the desire to climb into it. He knew he had one more task that he needed to do before doing that. Sitting down at the table, he pulled a notepad and pen out of his messenger bag and began to compose a letter to his mother. Even as tired as he was, the young doctor knew that if he didn't write the letter he wouldn't be able to sleep.

_Dear Mom,_

_We're still in Bangor, working on the same case. Though there have been developments it seems as though we're still quite a way from solving it. Right now it's like we're gathering puzzle pieces and though we're getting them to fit, there are still pieces missing. As frustrating as that can be at times I still find the job intriguing and hope that tomorrow might find us closer to solving the case._

_Though the case took us out into the city today, I'm still only getting a limited view of it. What I have seen has got me wanting to come back and explore more when I'm not busy with a case. I have a feeling that will come up quite often with this job and I wonder how many I will actually be able to see under better circumstances. My unit chief, Agent Gideon, is very single minded when it comes to working on a case. By that I mean that he is focused entirely on solving the case, not that he doesn't keep an open mind when dealing with the aspects of the case. He listens to and considers every idea thrown out by any member of the team. So does Agent Hotchner, you met him when we were out in Vegas, remember. I think that is going to be one of the hardest things to get use to with this job, is just freely putting my ideas out to a group, even the small group of five agents that I am working with. Though probably just as hard is going to be helping to give the profile briefing. I saw what that was like this afternoon when the team presented the profile to the local police. You would think by now, after the years spent in college and after presenting things during the academy I would find talking in groups easier but it just doesn't seem to get any easier._

Spencer paused in his writing and looked down at the paper. He debated on whether he should tell her about his thoughts of quitting. Giving her protests about him joining the FBI to begin with, insisting that she didn't want him around things that were so sad, he decided against it. He would tell her when his resignation was official. It would be better that way. Still, he wanted to avoid a long drawn out explanation and lecture that he would be facing if that news were to come completely out of the blue. If he kept things to upbeat, his mother would insist on knowing why he didn't tell her he was having trouble adjusting. With that in mind, he continued the letter.

_I never expected this job to be easy but at times everything seems to be overwhelming. I worry about making a mistake and letting my team down. About missing something important that would have helped us. My one teammate, Agent Nichols picked up on that today. He shared a story about when he first got out of the academy and a silly mistake that he made and impressed upon me that it wasn't about not making mistakes as much as it was about trying your best and learning from mistakes that you do make. I guess that's what I'm going to have to focus on when I start feeling the pressures of the job. Nichols has told me that I could go to him if I ever needed to talk about anything, as has Agent Hotchner. It's reassuring that I have their support._

_Well, its getting late and we've got another early morning start. This is definitely not a job for those who don't like mornings. Guess it's a good thing that I was always an early bird and enjoyed watching the sun makes its appearance. _

_I hope this letter finds you well._

_Love,_

_Spencer_

Reid looked down at the paper and read over what he had written. While not pretending that everything was fine, he didn't think he hadn't written anything to make her worry. Satisfied, he folding up the paper and stuffed it in an envelope. After quickly writing the address on the envelope, he tucked it into his bag. He would drop it in the mailbox out front of the hotel the first chance he got, just like he had the postcard.

That task completed, Spencer pulled back the covers on the bed and climbed underneath them. Hopefully, sleep would come more easily tonight than it had the night before.


	21. The UnSub Strikes Again

"Looks like we both had the same idea."

Standing in front of the ice machine on their floor, Morgan looked up at the sound of Hudson's voice. The dark-skinned profiler finished dumping the ice into the container he had brought from his room. "Hey, man. The only time I drink warm anything is when I absolutely have to, which usually means we're on a case and its warm water or nothing," Morgan commented as he held the scoop out to his co-worker.

"Thanks," Hudson said, taking the scoop from Morgan.

Morgan took a step back from the machine to give Hudson room to fill his own ice container.

"You've been kind of quiet this afternoon," Morgan ventured, having noticed it at Rita Jade's apartment. The only time his co-worker had spoken was when he had been asked a question or it was work related.

Hudson shrugged his shoulders. "I figured I might want to keep my head down for a bit. It's always a good thing to do after receiving a lecture from your superior."

"Gideon?" Morgan asked, knowing it wasn't much of a guess, as Hotch wouldn't have had much of an opportunity to do so today.

Hudson nodded in reply to the question as he put the scoop in its holder, and closed the door to the ice machine.

"What about?" Morgan asked, with a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question too.

"Apparently I'm not being nice enough to the new guy," Hudson replied, as he and Morgan made their way down the hallway to their rooms.

~_Right in one_, ~ Morgan thought. ~_And I'm probably not too far behind on getting one myself, ~ _recalling the warnings he had gotten from Hotch. "I think it's best we both cut Reid some slack and not give him such a hard time," Morgan replied.

"Do you know something I don't?"

Morgan paused, trying to figure out how to answer the question. He wasn't about to tell Hudson that Reid was thinking about quitting. "No, it's just that after spending the time I spent with him and Hotch this morning, I can see that he's really trying hard to fit in and contribute to the case."

"Don't tell me his brainwashing has gotten to you too," Hudson commented.

"Brainwashing?"

"The guy has got everyone dazzled by his high IQ so they just give him what he wants. The kid probably hasn't earned a single thing in his life, he just says something that nobody can understand and people give him what he wants."

Morgan shook his head. He had a feeling there wasn't going to be any getting through to Hudson as the other agent seemed determined not to like Reid. ~_I've got two choices. I can either give Hudson a piece of my mind and get him mad at me, or keep my mouth shut around him when it comes to Reid and let Gideon and Hotch deal with the situation.~ _Not wanting to alienate Hudson and have yet another team member that he couldn't get along with, which would not go over well with Gideon after he had spent all that time butting heads with Rollins, Morgan chose the latter option.

"Let's just drop the subject, okay," Morgan said, stifling the sigh of frustration that he felt like making.

"Fine," Hudson said. "Besides, with any luck he won't be with us much longer anyway. He may have gotten past the week mark I gave him, but I have a feeling that kid is reaching his breaking point. I just got to wait him out," he added, having reached his room. "I'll catch ya tomorrow, Morgan."

"Yeah, good night," Morgan replied, as Hudson slid his hotel keycard through the slot.

_~He doesn't realize how right he is about Reid reaching the breaking point_, ~ Morgan thought as he continued the short distance to his own room. _~Little does he know, even I'm hoping to keep Reid from quitting at this point, _~ he added, even as he pondered when he had started liking the younger agent.

~_Probably about the time the little sneak nailed me with the paintball at Hogan's Alley_, ~ Morgan thought, as he slid his own keycard through the slot outside his room. The fact that Reid had beaten him had definitely bruised his ego, but when it came down to it, the younger agent had beaten him fair and square. ~_Probably the only shot Reid made all day that was anywhere near its intended target, but it was the one that counted the most, _~ he added, stepping into his hotel room.

Morgan walked over to the desk and placed the container down. Scooping some of the ice out with the glass, he poured some of the bottled water into the glass. He planned on taking a quick shower and then climbing right into bed. His short time in the BAU had already taught him that mornings came quickly when they were on a case.

* * *

The ringing of his cell phone brought him out of the dreamless sleep Reid had been in. Only half opening his eyes, he saw the cell phone on the night stand beside the bed, its lit up screen adding to the light from the cracked door of the bathroom. Reaching out, he grabbed the phone and answered the call.

"Hello," Reid said, not having even bothered checking to see who was calling him or what time of the day it actually was.

"Reid, be in the lobby in ten minutes," came the all business tone of voice of his unit chief.

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, sitting upright, and suddenly feeling very much awake. He thought for sure he had overslept and everyone was down in the lobby already waiting on him.

Reid ended the call, and got quickly to his feet. It was only then that he noticed there was no light peeking around the edges of the pulled blind. He glanced down at the alarm clock and saw that it was only three fifteen in the morning. Relief swept through him as he realized that he hadn't over slept. The relief soon melted away though when he realized that a call this early in the morning meant that some type of development had taken place in the case.

Though he didn't change out of his T-shirt, Reid took the time to change into a pair of dress pants. He quickly slipped his shoes on, donned his FBI jacket, and took his gun out of the top drawer of the night stand. Gun in place, he stood up and grabbed his messenger bag from the table. He put the strap of the bag over his head, resting the strap on his right shoulder as he headed for the hotel door, grabbing the key card off the dresser as he walked by. Reaching the corridor, he saw Hudson and Morgan just stepping onto the elevator. He was about to call out for them to hold the elevator when Morgan noticed him and put a hand out to keep the elevator doors from closing.

"Nice hair," Morgan commented, as Reid joined his two teammates on the elevator.

Reid inwardly cringed as he realized in his hurry to get ready he hadn't even bothered running a brush or comb through his hair. Though Morgan didn't have long enough hair to have to worry about it, Reid realized that Hudson's hair looked neatly combed and not as if he had just gotten up from sleeping. Self-consciously, Reid reached up and tried to blindly make his hair somewhat presentable even as he heard soft laughter from both of his teammates.

Involuntarily, Reid felt himself tense up at the sound of the laughter. So many times growing up, laughter had always been followed by some kind of humiliation or pain, when the guys doing the laughing pushed him against a wall, to the ground or something even more humiliating like the time the football team had stripped him and tied him to a goal post. Though most of those memories were years in the past, it was at times like these that they seemed like only yesterday.

As the indicator light telling which floor the elevator was at lit up and continued its downward movement, Hudson made his own comment. "Don't worry Reid, the only woman's awake at this hour are the prostitutes and I don't think you want to impress them," he commented, grinning at his own joke.

Reid just glared at him, not finding the comment at all amusing.

"Relax, man. We're just messing with you," Morgan said, picking up on Reid's body language and trying to diffuse the situation. By the stiffness in his posture, Morgan could tell that not only was the younger agent not amused but that the emotions went deeper than that. ~ _I think there might actually be a trace of fear in his face, ~_ Morgan thought. He reached out to muss up Reid's hair more than sleep already had.

Reid immediately backed away from the gesture. Not having much room to retreat to, and with Hudson and Morgan in the back of the elevator, Reid ended up backing himself into the front corner of the enclosure opposite the controls.

With a ding, the elevator reached the ground floor and the doors opened into the lobby.

"You seriously need to lighten up," Hudson said with a shake of his head, as he moved past Reid and into the lobby.

"Reid, it was just a little light-hearted teasing," Morgan said, his eyes focused on the younger man still backed into the corner. His tone was softer than Hudson's had been and the corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile. "We meant nothing by it, really."

Reid looked at his teammate, trying hard to quit picturing the laughing, taunting bullies he had grown up with. The ones whose sole pleasure seemed to be derived from causing the pain and humiliation of him and the kids like him. He gazed back at his teammate, looking into the dark eyes before him. What he saw there echoed the sincerity, he heard in Morgan's voice. Reid wanted to believe him but somehow, the laughter of football players from his highschool echoed in his mind.

Morgan sighed, wondering if he had just lost any progress he had made with the younger agent yesterday, as he stepped forward and pressed the button to reopen the elevator doors that were starting to close. As they reopened, Morgan took a couple steps toward the exit, pausing in the doorway of the elevator when he noticed that Reid wasn't moving from his position in the corner of the elevator.

"Are you coming?" Morgan asked, looking back at Reid. "The others are waiting for us," he added, pointing a finger in the direction of the lobby. As there were few people up at this time of night, Hotch and Gideon were easy to spot in the almost empty lobby. The employee, vacuuming the carpet, was the only other person beside them and the lone employee behind the registration counter. Hudson was just approaching where the other two agents were waiting.

Reid still didn't reply. Morgan's words however, did spur the younger agent into moving out of the corner of the elevator. He walked cautiously past the other agent. As he did so, Morgan noted that Reid watched him the whole time. Even glancing over his shoulder at him a few times as Morgan followed him across the lobby.

"What's going on?" Hudson asked, as Reid and Morgan joined the other three profilers. The serious looks on Hotch and Gideon's faces told him that something had happened in the case and it wasn't good news.

"Local PD was supposed to switch the cops tailing Carmichael," Gideon replied. "However, the new unit couldn't get the police on scene on the radio to confirm the switch. When they went to investigate, they found the previous two cops dead in the car. We've been asked to help in the investigation of their deaths. This case had just gotten very personal for the Bangor police. Not only are we racing to catch this UnSub before he kills anyone else but we need to solve this thing to help this police department bring closure to their co-workers' death."

Gideon looked around at each of his team members, making sure the seriousness of the situation was sinking in with each of them. He could tell from their faces that they were.

"Wasn't Detective Curtis currently one of the officers keeping Carmichael under surveillance?" Hudson asked.

"Yes he was," Gideon replied. Despite his gruff treatment of them since they had arrived on see, the federal agent had seen how seriously Curtis had taken his job and how good he was. Losing a detective like Curtis was going to be a blow to the Bangor police force. "Let's get going," he told them.

Without another word, the BAU profilers headed toward the hotel entrance. As soon as they stepped outside, Reid realized that it had gotten a lot cooler than he had anticipated. _~Given the difference in day and night temperatures out in Las Vegas, I should have anticipated that, ~ _Reid thought, wishing he had grabbed a heavier coat than the light windbreaker he had on. Despite the cool nights of his home city, Reid was still more accustomed to the warm days of the Nevada desert area he had grown up in, and hadn't yet got accustomed to the cooler fall temperatures of the East Coast. He had been wearing long sleeves long before any of his fellow trainees at the academy had been.

Knowing there was nothing to do but deal with it at this point, he followed Hotch and Gideon as they headed for one SUV, the other two agents heading for the second vehicle. He climbed into the back seat listening as the other two agents discussed the little they knew about the scene they were heading into. It wasn't long before they were pulling up on the scene. The street was ablaze with the flashing red and blue lights of Bangor's police units. The street had been blocked off before the dark blue, unmarked sedan that Curtis and his fellow officer had been keeping watch on the apartment building in, to just past Carmichael's apartment building. Yellow crime scene tape cordoned off a smaller area around the sedan.

The FBI agents parked as close to the road block as they could and then got out and walked. Detective Jason Torres was waiting at the saw horse blocking the street for them.

"Crime Scene Unit is here but I've asked them to wait until you guys got here before touching anything. So far, they've just been taking pictures. Nothing we can see that would link this back to the guy for the other murders but maybe we're missing something. I can't believe some random psychopath would take out two undercover cops doing surveillance by coincidence."

"You're right that does seem highly unlikely," Gideon said.

"How were the cops killed?" Hotch asked.

"Curtis was in the driver's seat, and the killer slashed his throat. Officer Harlan was shot at close range, probably right after the guy slit Curtis' throat."

Hudson, why don't you and I check out the car. Hotch, Morgan and Reid, the three of you check the area. See if you can figure out where the attack likely came from," Gideon ordered.

With short words of acknowledgment the FBI agents got to work doing they're job. Morgan looked around the street. Street lights at regular intervals lit the street well and not one of them was currently dark. Most of the buildings had lights above the front doors illuminating their entrances, limiting the shadows in the areas to the alley's between the buildings.

"Well the cops were watching that building from this direction," Morgan said as he stood parallel to the car that Hudson and Gideon were walking toward and facing the apartment building that Carmichael lived in. "They would have seen anyone approaching the vehicle from this direction."

"So, somehow, our UnSub got behind the car and then snuck up on them," Hotch said, as he turned putting his back toward the apartment building that had been under surveillance. His experienced eyes traveled over the surroundings looking for a possible stealth approach to the unmarked cop car. His eyes fell on an alleyway only about five feet behind where the sedan was parked. "If he came out of that alleyway," he said, pointing in the direction of the alley, "and the cop's attention was focused on the building under surveillance and they weren't looking in the mirrors, it is possible that someone could have snuck up on the two cops in the sedan."

"Well, let's go check out the alley then," Morgan said, as he began to walk in that direction.

Hotch was no more than a step behind Morgan. Glancing over his shoulder, he made sure Reid was following them. The younger agent was following, and Hotch could tell he was purposely avoiding looking at the sedan. Hotch knew he had to keep an eye on the young man as well as focus on the crime scene. If there were any signs that this was getting to be too much for Reid, Hotch didn't want to miss it.

~_Perhaps we should have just left him sleeping at the hotel_, ~ Hotch thought, as he thought about the brief and hurried conversation he'd had with Gideon. It had been Gideon who had made the suggestion and Hotch had vetoed it, arguing that to not include him would only give Reid the impression that they thought he couldn't do the job.

As they left the well-lit street and entered the shadows leading into the dark alley, all three federal agents took out and turned on flashlights. The three beams of light soon played on the walls and cement ground of the alleyway, as two experienced profilers and one still learning the art, looked for clues. Morgan was in the lead and was halfway down the alley before Reid spoke up, his voice echoing off the walls on the buildings on either side of them.

"I found something," Reid called out.

Morgan couldn't see the younger agent, but as Hotch started walking toward a collection of trash cans and old boxes, Morgan retraced his steps to join them. Reaching them, he found Reid kneeling beside the collection of trash cans and boxes, putting on gloves he had pulled from his bag.

"What did he find?" Morgan asked.

Hotch shook his head that he wasn't sure as Reid reached out to move some boxes out of the way. Standing behind Reid, Hotch shone the light over top of the younger agent onto the area Reid had cleared away. There on the cement was a knife, the blood still in the process of drying on the blade and a single white rose, drops of blood staining its white petals.

"You think it's the knife that he used to kill the one cop?" Morgan questioned, even as he looked over his shoulder, looking for movement in the shadows. Was whoever left the knife and rose here still in the area?

"Probably," Hotch replied. "Hopefully they'll still be able to type the blood. Let's get the Crime Scene Unit back here to process this. This alleyway was probably the UnSub's method of approach and escape. If it was Carmichael, we need to figure out how he got out of his apartment building and to this alleyway with no one seeing. If it wasn't, we've got a few other possibilities to consider."

"Which are?" Morgan questioned.

"Carmichael isn't our guy," Hotch replied, "or he's working with someone else. That white rose does tell us one thing, whoever killed the cops knows about the other murders either because he's involved in them or he's following our investigation. Let's go check out the outside of the apartment building and see if there is another way out that would allow someone to get away from the building without being seen at the front of the building."

As Hotch turned to head back out to the street, Reid stood and followed him. Morgan brought up the rear, a couple more glances over his shoulder at the shadows at the end of the alley way.

Hotch spoke briefly with a CSU police officer, telling him what they found in the alley. As the officer he spoke with motioned for one of his fellow officers to join him, Hotch glanced down the street and noticed several approaching news van. The media had gotten wind of what had taken place here. Hotch glanced at the buildings surrounding them and noticed that quite a few lights now illuminating windows. In the middle of a city street, this was something that couldn't be kept quiet.

"Great, the circus begins," Detective Torres muttered as he broke away from the group investigating the car and started toward the road block that had been set up.

Knowing the Bangor detective was too close to this, Hotch thought that him talking to the media at this point was a bad idea.

"Detective Torres," Hotch called out.

The detective paused in mid-step and then turned to face the federal agent.

"How about I address the media for now?" Agent Hotchner suggested. "Your insight might be put to better use analyzing the crime scene than talking to the media."

"And you'll be able to keep the interview less emotional not having worked with these cops," the detective said, finishing what Hotch hadn't wanted to say. Hotch nodded, not able to hide the truth of the words. Torres thought it over briefly and then nodded in agreement before heading back to the police and two agents still hovering around the car.

Hotch looked at Morgan and Reid. All three of them were not needed to talk to the media. In fact, this was not the situation nor the time that he wanted to introduce that aspect of the job to Reid. The young agent didn't need something new thrown at him at this point. Hotch also knew the reporters would be able to spot a green agent and would exploit that in an attempt to get their scoop.

"The two of you go check out the area around Carmichael's apartment building. Stick together and watch each other's back," Hotch told them. He locked his gaze with Morgan, silently telling the dark-skinned agent to keep a close eye on Reid.

"You got it," Morgan said, both acknowledging Hotch's words and responding to Hotch's silent message. "Let's go, Reid," he said to the other agent.

Without a word, Reid fell into step with Morgan as the two federal agents headed across the street. Though the Bangor cops had been keeping watch on the building from a few buildings up the street from their target, it didn't take long for Morgan and Reid to reach the alley way that run between Carmichael's apartment building and the one beside it. Once again, beams from the flashlights illuminated the dark alleyway as the two agents cautiously made their way down the alley. This time, Morgan let Reid precede him down the alley, knowing he could keep a better eye on the younger agent if he was ahead of him.

The two federal agents walked silently down the alley way, their lights playing over the narrow confines of the passageway. Scurrying noises told them that unseen rodents hurried to hide at their approach. Ahead of him, Morgan could see Reid shivering slightly. He was so intent on watching the younger agent that he brushed the metal of the building's fire escape as he passed by. With a metallic clatter, the ladder came crashing down from its position over head. The sound caused both agents to jump and turn toward the fire escape.

With one hand one his gun, Morgan immediately directed his flashlight upwards, looking for movement above them. He saw no one. "The ladder must not have been secured the last time it was used," he concluded out loud. He removed his hand from his gun and shined the light in Reid's direction.

"Well, we do know Carmichael would have at least had access to the alley without being seen from anyone watching the front of the building," Reid said, inclining his head toward the fire escape.

Morgan nodded his head in agreement. "Are you okay?" he asked, abruptly changing the subject as he realized the young agent's shivering was more noticeable.

"I'm fine," Reid replied, quickly, his tone defensive.

"You're shivering," Morgan stated plainly, not letting it go.

Reid shrugged his shoulders. "I should have worn something warmer, I guess. I'll be fine. We should see if there is a back alley behind these buildings," he replied, turning to start walking toward the rear of the two buildings they were between.

Morgan wasn't quite so willing to dismiss the topic. Though his own jacket was unzipped, and the October Maine night merely felt cool to him, he realized that the two of them had grown up in completely different climates. ~_Chicago winters are probably quite a bit colder than those of Las Vegas, _~ Morgan thought as he slipped out of his leather jacket.

"Hey, Reid," Morgan called.

Reid stopped and turned back toward Morgan. His eyes fell on the jacket that Morgan was now holding out.

"Take this," Morgan told him.

"I'm fine," Reid replied.

"Take it," Morgan told him again, not backing down.

Hesitantly the younger agent reached out and took the worn leather jacket from his co-worker. Reid quickly put it on, and zipped it up, not caring that it was too big on him. Despite his words to the contrary he had been getting cold and wishing that he had something warmer. "Thanks," he said softly.

"No problem," Morgan said, easily. "Let's go see if there's a back alley," he said, with a nod toward the rear of the buildings.

* * *

Hotch was listening to Gideon report what he and Hudson had concluded from examining the car, when he saw Morgan and Reid come out from an alley way directly across from them. He noted, with a hint of satisfaction, that Reid was now wearing Morgan's jacket. It was a minor thing but the profiler in him was able to read a lot from that small gesture. It meant that Morgan was on some level accepting Reid as part of the team. If he wasn't, the older agent wouldn't have turned his jacket over to the younger agent because he wouldn't have cared.

"The killer approached the car on the driver's side, slit Curtis' throat first with the knife and then shot the deputy in the passenger seat before he had time to react," Gideon was concluding. "Afterwards, he slipped back down the alley leaving the knife and the rose as his calling card. He must have taken the gun with him, which tells me the gun can be traced back to him."

"Was it Carmichael?" Torres asked. "Or are we dealing with someone else?"

"Well, we can tell you that it could have been possible for Carmichael to leave the building without the cops seeing him," Morgan said, as he and Reid joined the group. "There is a fire escape halfway down the alley, and a back alley runs all the way along these buildings," Morgan said, his hand tracing a line in the air down the buildings lining the street. "The ladder on the fire escape for Carmichael's building wasn't secured properly. It came down when I brushed against it walking by."

"So Carmichael could have left the building, crossed the street at a point behind the officers keeping surveillance and executed them," Torres concluded. "Now do you think there is enough reason to question the guy?" the detective asked, directing the last question at Gideon.

"We need to be careful not to tip our hand prematurely."

"It's too late for that I think. Whoever killed those two cops knew they were here. Someone knows we're onto them," Torres retorted.

"Do you think you can get a warrant to search his house and the laundromat?" Hotch questioned the detective, keeping his voice even.

"With two dead cops, I know a judge who will give me a warrant for anything I want," Torres replied.

Before anything else could be said, Hudson joined them, putting his cell phone away as he began talking. "Officer Nelson was killed with a 9mm bullet. Nichols was able to find a 9mm Smith and Wesson that was registered to Carmichael."

Gideon looked toward Torres. "Get your warrant. Let's bring him in."

Torres nodded, and turned away from the group, his cell phone already out and opened.


	22. Flight Home

**AN: My readers are so awesome I felt you all deserved another weekend update on this story! To all those who have reviewed, put this story on alert, or favorited this story - I thank-you. It's great to see that so many people are appreciating the time and effort I'm putting into this story.**

* * *

The BAU jet slowly gained altitude as it left Bangor International Airport. Gideon watched out the window as the city lights got further away. Like he often did, Jason Gideon felt as though he was leaving behind something that was broken and would take a long time to mend if it ever did. Yes, they had finally managed to catch Jack Carmichael before he had taken another life but that chase had taken a lot of man hours and had them scrambling throughout the city.

Torres had gotten his warrant but when they had gone to Carmichael's apartment, he hadn't been there. While searching the apartment, Reid had found about two dozen white roses in the refrigerator. That had pretty much sealed the fact that Carmichael was their UnSub. A search of the tailor shop had uncovered numerous pictures of the first eight victims in a file cabinet in Carmichael's office. Though the evidence had been piling up, their quarry was in the wind. From that point on the search for the shop owner had commenced.

Nichols had managed to track down popular haunts and addresses of people Carmichael often called, all of which were searched. The closest they seemed to get was the report that he had been there earlier but was gone now. While the Bangor police continued their manhunt, Gideon had taken his team back to the tailor shop to look for clues that might lead them to Carmichael's next victim. The profile said he wasn't going to stop killing until he was caught, even with the police on his trail. Carmichael had shown up at the shop while they were there, and tried to take them by surprise. Thanks to Reid's vigilance, all of the FBI agents had been scrambling for cover when the man had opened fire from the doorway of the shop. Carmichael was caught shortly afterwards about a block down, by Morgan and Hudson, the former agent having run down and tackled the UnSub.

That had been around six-thirty that evening. Only two hours earlier. Given the evidence that had been uncovered and the fact that Carmichael had started cursing the FBI agents for ruining all his plans, Gideon and his team had turned the UnSub over to Torres and his department and started packing up. They may be needed again at a later date for something, but for now the agents had done their job and another killer was off the streets.

~_Still it doesn't feel like much of a victory_, ~ Gideon thought as he felt the plane begin to level out. ~_Nine people dead. That meant nine families dealing with the loss of a loved one. Two of those people were cops whom we had been helping solve this case, ~ _he mused_. _~_No, definitely not a win on some accounts, _~ he told himself, the face of Detective Hank Cutrtis coming to mind. Gideon shook his head slightly as he thought about it. Yes, they had caught the killer but too much had been lost during that search.

Gideon looked away from the window and glanced around the cabin of the jet. At the big table, Hotch, Hudson and Morgan had already started a game of poker. Though Reid had been asked to join them, the youngest agent on the team had declined. Despite the fact that they had all been up since about three that morning, Gideon noted that the three agents looked wide awake. He had contemplated waiting until morning to head back to avoid a middle of the night arrival in the D.C. area. In the end, Gideon felt that his agents would prefer to be back home tonight instead of waiting for the morning to leave Bangor.

~_At the very least, Haley will appreciate it_, ~ Gideon thought.

Letting his eyes drift away from the poker game, they fell on the team's youngest agent sitting at the small table across from him. Reid was huddled close to the side of the plane, his arms folded across his stomach in an almost defensive posture. Unlike the other three, Reid did look tired though he wasn't sleeping.

~_Tired and lost, _~ Gideon told himself, as he studied the younger man. He thought of what Hotch had told him yesterday morning about Reid being ready to quit. ~_Does he still feel that way? Does he still plan on turning in his resignation when we get back to Quantico even after his contributions to this case? ~ _

Gideon knew that Hotch planned on talking to Reid back at the office and try to convince the new agent not to make any hurried decisions. Convince him to give himself time to make the necessary adjustments and find his place. Still, as this team's leader, Gideon felt it was his duty to talk to Reid himself and to let the young man know that he was doing an adequate job. With the decision made, Gideon got to his feet and crossed over to the seat across from Reid.

As Gideon settled in the seat across the table from the genius, Reid turned his head from the window to look across the table at the unit chief. Reid's gaze only met the older agent's briefly before he was looking down at the top of the table between them. Gideon also noticed that his arms did not move from their folded position.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it?" Gideon said casually, trying to keep his voice neutral and casual hoping to put the younger agent at ease by doing so. He also spoke quietly, trying no to attract the attention of the agents sitting directly behind Reid.

Reid's reply was a nod of his head. When he was sure that Reid wasn't going to voice any other reply to the question, Gideon decided to make another attempt. "Despite their best attempts at the academy, all that training doesn't quite prepare you for what your going to experience out here, does it?" he asked, receiving a shake of the head from Reid in reply. "It's a realization we all come to when we're out on our first real case. You did well these last couple of days."

"You're just saying that," Reid said softly, still not looking up.

"Reid, look at me," Gideon instructed, inflecting a bit of command into his voice but keeping it soft. Hesitantly, Reid's gaze moved from the table to meet Gideon's eyes. "I don't say things just to make people feel good. I give praise where it's due and criticism when it's necessary. Ask any of the other agents on this plane. We are all out here to do a job. Part of my job is to lead this team and get everyone working out in the field with me, whether they are an agent of this bureau or a member of the local police force, home alive, not to hold people's hand. Do you understand me?"

Reid nodded. "Yes, sir," he replied, quietly.

"Another part of my job is to look out for the agents who work under me. That doesn't mean just their physical well-being but their mental well-being as well. If one of my agents buckles under the pressure of doing this job, then I failed at my job."

"Hotch told you, then?"

"That you're planning on resigning? Yes. And like Hotch, I think you're making a rash decision based on a rough couple of days. I would've thought you would be tougher than that. There is no way you could have gotten as far as you have by running at the first sign of foul weather."

"I'm not running."

"Then what do you call it?"

"Walking away before I waste more of anyone else's time," Reid replied. Gideon noted that his gaze was once again focused the table top.

"Who's time?" Gideon asked. He waited for an answer. When one wasn't forthcoming, he continued. "I don't consider putting in time to train an agent as wasted time and I can assure you that Agent Hotchner doesn't either. The only way our time would have been wasted is if you walk away."

"I'm not cut out for this."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why do you think you're not cut out for this because that's not what I've seen? You've provided information during the last two cases that have helped us solve them. Saw things out in the field that other agents would have missed. From what I understand, Carmichael would have been dismissed as a suspect if it weren't for your observations and suspicions."

"And tailing him got two cops killed. I got two cops killed." Reid said, the horror of that thought evident in his voice. No one would have to be a profiler to pick up on it.

"No, you didn't," Gideon responded, calmly and evenly. He paused a moment to let those words sink in. "You had no control over what happened. The fact that Curtis and his partner were killed is no one's fault. It just was. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But if . . ."

"If you hadn't spoken up, if we hadn't been looking into Carmichael because you picked up on his behavior during that interview, we might still be out looking for him. How many more people would have died then?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way," Reid conceded.

"When we're working a case, we're in a race with the UnSub to find him before he finds more victims. Sometimes we win that race and sometimes they do. Just because we aren't able to win doesn't make those deaths our fault. There are enough horrors to this job as it is. Don't start adding ones of your own creation."

"But the crime scene. When I saw that dead body I just . . . I just couldn't handle it. If I can't do that part of the job, what good am I? I mean Hudson . . ."

"No one is comparing you to Hudson or any other member of this team for that matter. We can't. It's not a fair comparison. Hudson has been a police officer since he was twenty. Put in four years on the New York State Police force before joining the FBI and has put in five years in the bureau. That's nine years of experience that you don't have. Expecting you to handle every situation like he does," Gideon shook his head slightly, as if trying to dismiss just how unbelievable that sounded, "well I couldn't even expect that of Morgan or Hotch. Each of us brings something different to each case. That's the beauty of this team concept. So a dead body makes you squeamish," Gideon shrugged his shoulders, "so what. I've seen people squeamish over less graphic things than that."

"Is that why you and Hotch kept me away from the car when the cops were killed? You thought I couldn't handle it?"

"Picked up on that did you?" Gideon said, sounding a bit like a kid that had gotten his hand caught in the cookie jar. ~_It's good that he was able to see our intent really. It shows he really does have good instincts on reading behavior, _~ the agent thought, even as he continued to speak. " Yes, we did keep you away from the car on purpose. You were already talking about quitting and despite whatever you may be thinking to the contrary, neither of us wants to see that happen. If that means that we've got to be a little more cautious of what we expose you to, then that's what we're going to do."

"What if I can never handle a crime scene with a dead body at it?"

"Then we don't send you to those sites," Gideon replied without missing a beat. "This is a team effort, Spencer," the elder profiler told him, purposely choosing to use the young agent's first name to give the words a more personal touch. "It's not about always being right, or always being able to handle everything that gets thrown at us. It's about throwing out ideas so that the others can question and build off them. Solving the puzzle with the clues that we're given. About having each other's back and covering for each other. If someone is weak in one area, then those who aren't coach and if necessarily cover for them. Our strength is in how we work together not as individuals."

Reid looked up at Gideon then. The unit chief could tell the young agent was thinking over the words, which was what the veteran agent had hoped to accomplish with this conversation. To get the young genius thinking about the whole picture and quit focusing on whatever individual events that may have shaken him.

"The point is, this is a learning experience for all of us. Maybe we threw too much at you in too short of a time. That's our mistake. Give us a chance and we'll correct it. That's what keeping you away from the car was about - trying to fix a previous mistake. It's not that we don't think you won't ever be able to handle that situation but at that point in time, it was something that we didn't feel you should be exposed to."

Gideon got to his feet. "Look I'm not saying that this job is or isn't for you. Only you can answer that but you've got to give yourself time to discover that," the older gentleman said. He took a step forward and rested his hand on Reid's shoulder. "Personally, I think you're going to make a top agent someday and I'd hate to see you throw that away without even giving yourself a chance."

The unit chief saw Reid give a slight nod of acknowledgment. Feeling that he had said enough for now, Gideon removed his hand from the young genius' shoulder and headed toward the back of the plane to get some coffee. He had a whole bunch of paper work to do as a result of this case and he figured he might as well start it on the flight home.

As Gideon walked away, Reid let his gaze go back to the window. As it was dark outside, there wasn't much to be seen. Still, the window was a place to focus his attention as he pondered the unit chief's words. What Gideon had said made a lot of sense and echoed what Hotch had told him earlier. It was obvious to the young genius that neither of them wanted him to resign but the question was still there - could he do this job?

It was a question that Spencer Reid had been pondering quite a bit over the last couple of days and still couldn't come up with an answer. He still wanted to be here. Still wanted to do this job and couldn't think of anything else he would rather be doing. _~Still wanting to do something and being able to do it are two different things_, ~ he told himself once again.

As he listened to the talking and laughing taken place over the poker game behind him, Reid replayed the conversation he had with Hotch in his hotel room the other morning and then the one that had just taken place. Both of his superiors had seemed sincere in what they were saying and in their own way was saying the same exact thing. Telling him that what he was feeling and the experiences, he was going through, were perfectly normal for a new agent.

~_They should know shouldn't they? _~ Reid silently questioned. ~_They've both been here before. Have worked with other agents just starting out. What's the harm in giving it a little bit more time? Hotch has already put in so much of his own time to get me this far, don't I owe him the courtesy of sticking it out a bit longer if that's what he wants me to do? _~

Then he thought about seeing Veronica Sykes body laying on the floor of her apartment. He felt a chill run up his spine even at the thought of it. ~_It wasn't the same as seeing the photos. Of going through the scenarios set up for us at the Academy. They were just manikins there and the photos - well it's easy to detach yourself from the photos but actually seeing the victim laying there in front of me was something else entirely. Seeing the lifeless shell that had once been a living, breathing, woman_.~

Reid felt his stomach do a flip at even the memory of that scene. He took a deep breath, trying to overcome the urge to throw-up. ~_Not here. Not in front of everyone_.~ he told himself, folding his arms across himself just a little bit tighter.

~_If just the memory of that scene makes me feel sick, how am I ever going to cope with seeing crime scene after crime scene_, ~ Reid pondered, closing his eyes as he waited for the nausea to pass. He knew it would and not for the first time was thankful that Hotch and Gideon had spared him from seeing the two Bangor law enforcement officers dead. The image of Veronica was more than enough for now.

After a few minutes, the feeling passed, though his stomach still felt unsettled. As he shifted in his seat, Reid realized the talking and laughing behind him had died down. Looking across the aisle, he could see Gideon intently working on his paperwork, seemingly oblivious to everything else going on around him. Slowly, Reid got to his feet to go get some coffee. As he turned, he realized why the plane had gotten quieter.

Hotch was now sitting on the bench seat, his cell phone to his ear. The relaxed look on the older agent's face told Reid the call was probably personal. Hudson was sitting with his head against the side of the plane, eyes closed, and the even rise and fall of his chest told Reid his co-worker had fallen asleep. Across the table from him, Morgan was casually playing a game of a solitaire.

Reid walked silently past all of them. After retrieving a cup of coffee, he walked back through the cabin. None of his co-workers had moved. Morgan looked up from the cards as he passed, looking at him intently, though the younger man couldn't figure out what he was thinking. Averting his gaze, Reid quickened his step slightly, and was soon sinking back down into the chair he had vacated shortly before.

It wasn't long before Reid felt a presence beside him. Looking up, Reid found Morgan standing there, looking down at him. The memory of the football team grabbing a hold of him and tying him to a goal post came to mind as he took in the athletic build of his teammate standing there.

~_Blocking my escape, really_, ~ Reid thought, as he warily kept an eye on his teammate.

"So, somehow I find it hard to believe that a Vegas boy really doesn't play poker," Morgan said, easily. It was only then that Reid noticed that the dark-skinned agent held the deck of cards in his hand.

"I play," Reid answered, looking down at the dark liquid in the mug on the table in front of him.

"What do you say we play a couple of hands then?" Morgan asked, easily. "Hotch is happily chatting with his wife and it's only a matter of time before Hudson starts snoring. Considering that you have coffee sitting in front of you, I don't see you trying to catch a nap. It'll help pass the time."

Reid shrugged in reply to the question. Morgan took the gesture as an invitation, and snagging the container holding the poker chips from the seat it had been sitting in, sat down across from the young genius. In a matter of moments, Morgan had the chips passed out and the first hand dealt.

The first few hands were played in relative silent, the only talk going on being related to the game. As he dealt the cards for the third hand, Morgan realized that not only did the younger man know how to play but that he was good. He loss the third hand just like he had the first two. Reid folded the fourth hand without really betting much of anything. On the fourth hand, Morgan had four nines in his hand. It was a good hand, not one that could be easily beat but not only had Reid met his bet but the younger man had raised the bet. Staring across the table at him, Morgan tried to figure out if he was bluffing or not.

~_He didn't even hesitate to make that bet, ~ _Morgan thought, as he took in Reid's calm expression.

Grudgingly, Morgan pushed his cards together and placed them face down on the table. "I fold," he said.

Reid tossed down his own cards, and calmly pulled the chips in the middle of the table toward him. As Morgan put the cards together and started shuffling them, he looked across the table at his co-worker.

"You're either one lucky son-of-a-gun or a darn good bluffer," Morgan commented, a smile showing his admiration for the kid's playing.

"You'll have to call me to figure that out," Reid answered calmly, giving away nothing.

"Just how many casinos out there did you get banned from?" Morgan asked, only half-jokingly.

Reid looked up at him, his expression neutral. "Before or after I turned twenty-one?" he asked, a slight smile finally gracing his features.

Morgan's smile turned into a grin. He wasn't sure if the younger man was kidding or serious with the question but it was the first light hearted thing he had heard the younger agent say. "Maybe it's best if we end that line of conversation right there," Morgan said lightly, as he started dealing the cards again. "I'm not sure I want to know the answer now," he finished.

If it had been Hudson or Nichols sitting across from him, he might have made a joke about not wanting to have to arrest him. Given some of his past interactions with Reid, Morgan decided not to press things. The younger man seemed relaxed and actually enjoying himself. The last thing he wanted to do was put an end to that.

The hand played out. Once again, Morgan got a decent hand. The three jacks and two queens that made up his full house would be hard to beat. Once again, Reid played aggressively. Morgan was sure he was bluffing this time and called the last bet, sure he was going to catch the Vegas native with a low hand. Morgan muttered a soft curse as Reid laid four threes down on the table.

As Reid shuffled the deck, Morgan leaned back in his seat, glancing at his watch as he did so. "We should be landing in about a half hour," he commented.

Across the table from him, Reid nodded quietly as he began to deal the cards.

"A twenty minute drive from the BAU and then I'll be able to climb into my own bed. Always one of the nice things about coming home from a case. I don't think I'll ever get use to hotel beds. They're either too hard or too soft."

Statistics about how many people preferred their own beds over hotel beds immediately jumped into Reid's mind. He kept himself from speaking them though, pretty sure that his co-worker would not be interested in them.

"What about you? Looking forward to getting a night's rest at home before coming into work tomorrow?" Morgan asked. His real intent was to find out if Reid even intended to show up for work the following day.

Reid shrugged as Morgan placed his bet. "I call," Reid said, placing chips into the middle of the table next to Morgan's. "I think I may have gotten a better night's sleep if we had stayed in Bangor a little longer. The hotel beds were much more comfortable than the futon in my apartment."

"Three cards," Morgan said, as he placed three cards from his hand face down on the table. "Are you trying to tell me you don't have a bed in your apartment?" Morgan asked as Reid passed him three cards off the top of the pile.

Reid discarded one card and picked up another. "I have a bed. It just isn't put together. Haven't had the time yet to get the proper tools for the job let alone put it together, which should be interesting attempting to do alone."

"Do you have another four of a kind over there?" Morgan asked, as Reid added the one card to his hand. The question got no answer from the young genius. Morgan looked down at his hand trying to decide what to do. He had three fives which meant there were a lot of other hands out there that could beat him. "I fold," Morgan said, throwing in the hand. "You know if you want, I could come over after work and help you put that bed together," Morgan offered as he gathered up the cards.

"I'm sure you've got other things to do with your evening," Reid said, dismissing the idea.

"Yeah, I've actually got a date planned if we don't leave town again. That doesn't mean I can't give you a hand before that. It won't take long to get a bed together."

"If it really isn't any trouble, I could use the help," Reid said, finally giving in. He hadn't been looking forward to doing the task by himself, and though he had contemplated asking Nichols for help, he hadn't wanted to take the computer tech away from the time the job allowed him to spend with his family.

"No trouble at all," he said as he began to deal the cards. "I'll give you a ride home from work tomorrow and we can knock it out," Morgan told him. As Reid didn't say that he wasn't planning on being at work tomorrow afternoon, Morgan decided that at the very least Reid was reconsidering the thought of resigning.

Morgan decided to leave things there for now. Despite wanting to ask him if he was still thinking about quitting, he had seen how sensitive Reid could be. How easy it was for the younger agent to jump to the wrong conclusion. Morgan wasn't going to take the chance that Reid would think the question was him looking for information to spread around the office, or worse yet, think he was hoping Reid would quit. The dark-skinned agent felt as though he had just gained ground with his new teammate and he didn't want to do anything to ruin that after the younger agent had proved one thing to him earlier this evening. Even if he was a bad shot, Reid was at least someone worth having watching your back.

Following Carmichael's capture, Morgan had taken a few moments to look around the tailor shop as the Bangor police force's Crime Scene Unit collected evidence from the place. It didn't take him long to realize that one of the bullets Carmichael had fired from the door had sunk into the wall behind where he had been standing when Reid had shouted out his warning. Though nothing was for sure that bullet very well may have hit him if he hadn't been diving for cover, instinctively reacting to Reid's warning not questioning it at the time, despite his doubts about the new agent's ability.

~_Maybe Nichols is right? Maybe the kid just needs a chance to learn and gain experience? _~ Morgan thought, as the poker game continued.


	23. Another Day

Reid groaned as his alarm went off. It seemed like he had just gotten to sleep, having immediately collapsed on the futon when he had finally gotten home last night, without even changing out of his clothes. _~No, early this morning, _~ Reid silently corrected himself as he propped himself up on one elbow, as he reached for the alarm clock which was on the nearby end table. He considered hitting the snooze button but decided that a few more minutes weren't going to help much anyway.

With a sigh, Reid swung his legs over the side of the futon and slowly sat up. Reaching up, he ran his hands through his hair, which had a greasy feel to it. Before he did anything else, he needed to take a shower. Something else he hadn't bothered with when he had come home. After missing his stop, because he was thinking about everything that had happened the last couple of days, by two stops, it had been almost three in the morning by the time he had finally walked through the door to his apartment, almost twenty-four hours after his early morning wake-up call the day before.

~_After being up that long, five hours of sleep is not enough, _~ Reid thought as he got to his feet. ~_Though I guess I should be thankful that Gideon told us we didn't need to be at the office until eleven this morning_.~

Still, there were things he needed to do before heading into the office. Not to mention, he still wasn't sure what to tell Agent Hotchner. The elder agent had said they would discuss the subject of his resignation when they got back to Quantico. He didn't expect him to have forgotten and despite the extra time on the subway on his commute home, he wasn't sure how he felt about that subject. Part of him still wanted to resign. Still felt that trying to make this work would just be wasting everyone's time. Yet if he did that he would be letting a lot of people down - Hotch, Gideon, his Mom. It was obvious that his two supervisors wanted him to stay. ~_For the life of me I don't know why, _~ Reid thought, getting to his feet and heading for the bathroom.

Then there was Morgan. Reid was confused by him. Derek Morgan fit the stereotypical jock description to a tee. There was no doubt he worked out and kept in shape. He was outgoing, self-confident, bold and Reid had already seen that he had a bit of a temper. Reid had also observed that Morgan did like to tease people in general. That fact made the teasing a bit easier to take, though it still put Reid on edge. Still, his co-worker had never seemed malicious in the teasing. At least not in the way the kids he had gone to school with had been. ~_And the times he has been serious, he's been supportive in a way and he did offer to help me with the bed even after I closed the door in his face that night at the hotel_, ~ Reid admitted silently as he turned on the water in the shower.

Stepping into the hot spray of water, Reid tried to clear his head of all the tumbling thoughts. With the sound of the running water in his ears, he tried to let the warmth of it relax away more than just the physical weariness he was still feeling. By the time he stepped out of the shower, reaching for the towel hanging on a rack nearby, Reid felt a little calmer even if he didn't feel closer to any answers.

He dressed and headed for the kitchen. Coffee was soon brewing and before long he was sitting at the counter, a bowl of cereal, coffee and a pad of paper in front of him. As he wrote the salutation of his letter to his mother, he considered what to write to her today. Telling her that the case was wrapped up the day before was the obvious place to start, but where did him want to go after that. Reid thought about the plane trip home. While he wasn't sure he wanted to share the conversation he had with Gideon with her, there had been the poker game with Morgan. That was something he could tell her about as well as Morgan's offer of help with the bed.

* * *

SSA Derek Morgan stepped off the elevator at the BAU at ten minutes to eleven. Being later in the day then when he normally made an appearance, Morgan wasn't surprised at the number of people already there. Nor was he surprised that most of his team had beaten him to the office. He had expected Hotch and Gideon to already be in their offices hard at work, and sure enough they were. He spotted Nichols in the break area getting coffee. The computer specialist still didn't look like he'd had much sleep recently and wondered just how long Nichols had been at the office already today. Chances were he hadn't taken advantage of the two-hour delay Gideon had given them. The newest team member was sitting at his desk, diligently working on paperwork. Even though he didn't know Reid's work habits yet, it didn't surprise him that Reid was here already. Being new, the last thing he would want to do was shown up late. It was part of starting a new job and trying to impress people. ~_Or maybe in his case, just trying not to cause any waves, ~ _Morgan thought as he headed toward his own desk.

He had to admit that Reid was nothing like what he had pegged him to be like when he had first heard about the genius joining the team. Despite his intelligence, Reid didn't strike him as the type that tried to impress people, which was refreshing in itself when Morgan thought of the other 'smart people' he had met during his life. It seemed like a feeling of superiority often came with an above average intelligence and even though Reid spouted out facts that most normal people wouldn't have the inclination to look up, let alone know, he didn't come off as trying to show off his intelligence. ~_I truly believe the kid just views it as sharing information that he finds interesting, ~ _Morgan thought, a smile coming to his face. Reid's presence also told him that either the younger agent had changed his mind about resigning or at the very least, he hadn't officially done it yet.

What did surprise him was seeing Hudson already at his desk across from Reid. He had now worked with Hudson long enough to know that while he was never all that late, Hudson didn't view a few minutes past a deadline as late. His second day with the team, when he had walked into the conference room two minutes after Gideon had started the briefing, Hudson had taken the time to point out that the clocks on the floor and each of their watches were all slightly different. Had even made a point that according to Nichols' watch, he was on time. Gideon, had told him to have a seat so they could get to work at that point. Giving that experience, seeing Hudson already at his desk, ten minutes before he had to be here took Morgan a little by surprise.

"You're not sick, are you, Hudson?" Morgan asked as he paused at his own desk, looking over at Hudson.

"No. Why?" Hudson asked, looking up from his computer screen.

"You never beat me to the office. I expected you to come strolling off that elevator right at eleven o'clock."

"Couldn't sleep past nine this morning," Hudson said with a shrug. "Figured I might as well come in here as opposed to being bored at home. I guess my internal clock said I should have been at work so it wouldn't let me sleep."

Morgan laughed at the comment, as Hudson looked back to his computer. Morgan let his gaze drift over to Reid. The younger agent still looked tired. The last case had been a rough one for all of them, but he had a feeling it had hit their newest teammate the hardest. The case had taken an emotional toll on his teammate in addition to the physical toll of the long hours they had all put in. For all intents and purposes it was his first active case, as he and Hotch had been looking for supporting information in Nevada during the last case. There had been no fresh crime scenes to profile, dead bodies to be viewed first hand, photos of the victims constantly on display, three o'clock wake-up calls, or the UnSub shooting at him while he had been in Nevada.

~_After this case though, he has a pretty good idea of exactly what this job entails_, ~ Morgan thought. ~_And we've got a pretty good idea of what we can expect of him. He's got a lot to learn, though it's good to know that he isn't going to panic in tough situations. Despite his questionable emotional state during this case, he pulled himself together when it counted and contributed to solving the case. We can't really expect more than that from him._~

"Morning, Reid," Morgan said, not wanting to ignore the younger agent's presence but deciding that it would be best to lay off the teasing when it came to his newest teammate. At least until Reid started feeling more comfortable with the team.

"Morning," Reid replied not looking up from his desk.

Morgan let the impersonal greeting go. He felt as though he had made progress on his relationship with his newest team member on the plane trip home and didn't want to do something to lose that ground. Especially as he felt the younger agent might have other things on his mind this morning than even the paperwork in front of him.

As Morgan started in the direction of the break area, he started to reach out and place a hand on Reid's shoulder. Remembering the younger agent's reaction to other attempts of physical contact, Morgan stopped himself and continued on by. As he reached the counter holding the coffee pot, he addressed his other teammate who was just taking a sip of the coffee he had finished preparing.

"Morning, Nichols," Morgan greeted. The computer specialist lifted the hand that wasn't holding the coffee mug in a sort of half-wave in response to the greeting, as he continued with the drink of his coffee. "Did you even leave the office last night?" Morgan asked.

Nichols had still been in his office working when the rest of them had gotten back from Maine early that morning. Morgan figured he was working on tracking down the hacker, though the dark-skinned agent hadn't taken the time to find out then. He wanted to get home himself, and he also had no intention of getting involved in the confrontation between Gideon and Nichols that he was sure was going to take place as the Unit Chief had headed for Nichols' office upon walking onto the floor, as the light from Nichol's office had been easy to see given that it was the only light on in the building other than the emergency lights.

"Yes, but only because Gideon refused to leave until I did," Nichols replied. "I came back in after seeing the kids off to school this morning."

"Any closer to finding the hacker?" Morgan asked, not at all sure he wanted to ask the question. While he was interested in whether or not the hacker was found, he didn't want a long drawn out explanation that most of the time resulted from asking the computer specialist any question relating to computers.

"I've tracked him to the west coast. He's proving to be sneaky but he won't be able to hide from us forever. Hiding from the FBI doesn't work forever no matter how good you are," Nichols replied.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Morgan asked, as he picked up the coffee mug and poured the dark liquid into his mug, hoping to get more of a solid answer to the question that had arisen prior to their case.

"Let's just say there is a lot of ways that one can end up working for the FBI, and my path wasn't one of the conventional paths. Other than that, I'm not admitting to anything. I like my job."

"No sleep, long hours, crazy people shooting at you, yeah we've got a great job."

"I've worked nine to five for about a year, and it isn't all it's cracked up to be. One word you can never use to describe this job is predictable and predictable gets old fast," Nichols told him, as he took another quick sip of his coffee. "I'll talk to you later," he told Morgan, before heading off toward his office.

Morgan finished getting his cup of coffee and then headed back toward his desk. Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out the stack of files and papers that had accumulated in the Inbox and placed them on the desk in front of him. He started sorting through the stack, reading through and discarding the memos that had been sent, and organizing things into the order he wanted or needed to complete things in.

Morgan was still working on that task when he sensed someone approaching. Glancing up, he saw that Hotch had made his way down to the bullpen. The senior agent nodded in Morgan's direction as he walked over Reid's desk. Hotch's request was too low for Morgan to hear, but as Reid stood up and followed Hotch to his office, Morgan figured Hotch had informed him that he wanted to talk to him.

"Wonder what that was about?" Hudson asked quietly, leaning slightly toward Morgan's desk without leaving his chair, as soon as the office door had shut behind Hotch and Reid.

Morgan shrugged his shoulders even though he had a pretty good idea what the other two agents were going to discuss. However, not being sure if either Hotch or Gideon had mentioned Reid's intention of quitting to Hudson, he wasn't about to say anything. If Hotch was able to talk the new agent out of it, then there was no reason that Hudson would even have to know. ~_In fact, it would probably be better if Hudson doesn't know._~

Hoping Hudson would let his curiosity about what was going on behind closed office doors go, Morgan returned his attention back to his work. Seeing that his co-worker wasn't going to get involved in any speculation, Hudson shortly followed suit. He hadn't gotten too far though when they heard Gideon's voice calling their names.

"Morgan, Hudson."

The two agents looked up to see Gideon walking toward the railing circling the bullpen from his office. Seeing that he had their attention he continued.

"I just got a call from metro police. They're requesting a consult for an active crime scene in the city. Head detective on the case wants to know what we make of it. I want the two of you to go."

"Yes, sir," both agents replied, getting to their feet. Both of them were relieved to be getting out of the office.

"Stay in touch and keep each other out of trouble," Gideon told them as his two agents started for the elevator.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Morgan asked. Both agents paused and glanced back at their supervisor.

"Specifically? Morgan keep Hudson from irritating any of the local cops and Hudson keep Morgan from doing anything rash," Gideon responded.

Morgan and Hudson both smiled, knowing there was truth to the Unit Chief's words. In the bullpen, several other agents at their desks chuckled.

"So, telling them it's a good thing they called in the big boys, wouldn't be appreciated, then?" Hudson asked lightly, as he and Morgan continued for the elevator, to another round of soft laughter.

Gideon didn't even bother with a response to the agent's joking remark. As his two agents stepped onto the elevator, he turned back to his office to get back to his own work.

* * *

Hotch was well aware of how tense Reid was as he walked beside him to his office. ~_Almost like the prisoners in the pirate stories I liked to read as a kid, who were being made to walk the plank, ~ _he thought as he motioned for the younger agent to proceed him into the office. If the matter wasn't so serious, Hotch might have actually found the analogy amusing.

"Have a seat," Hotch told Reid, motioning to the small couch sitting along one wall of the office. He figured having this conversation without the desk in between them would put Reid more at ease. As he watched Reid sit stiffly down on the couch, perching on the edge of it, he had a feeling even that wasn't going to help matters.

Stifling a sigh, Hotch reached for one of the two chairs in front of his desk. Turning it around he pulled it closer to the small coffee table in front of the couch. Across from him, Reid looked like he would rather be anywhere except where he currently was.

~_Maybe he is too young for this_, ~ Hotch thought, but then immediately dismissed the thought. ~_It isn't his age that is the problem, ~ _Hotch told himself. ~_Reid's problem is his lack of self-confidence. He's hearing people saying he shouldn't be here and that he can't do the job and he's believing it. Pile on Morgan and Hudson's teasing, and getting teased while growing up is probably the main source of the low self-esteem to begin with, and no wonder he thinks he doesn't belong here. Letting him quit would be the worst thing I could do, not only for the bureau but for Reid too, as it will do nothing but further erode his self-confidence._~

"First off, relax a little bit," Hotch said as he settled in the chair. "It's not like you're in trouble or something."

If Hotch hoped the words would help put the younger agent at ease, he would have been disappointed. Before he was able to say anything else though, Reid started speaking.

"Sir, I know what you're going to ask and I have been thinking about it a lot since we got back from Maine, I even managed to miss my stop on the way home last night," Reid admitted, flushing slightly at the admission. "However, I haven't come up with an answer. I keep going back and forth from thinking that it would be best if I just quit to not wanting to," he said, the words tumbling quickly over one another as he managed to get everything out in one breath.

"Breathe, Reid," Hotch said, slightly worried that the younger agent might pass out if he kept rambling on. "I'm actually relieved to hear you say that you're not so sure about quitting now. It makes my job a bit easier."

"What do you mean?" Reid asked.

"Well, if you were still insisting on quitting then I'd have to try to change your mind. This way, I don't have to convince you of anything. All I have to do is make you see why quitting would be a mistake."

"Apparently Agent Gideon feels the same way," Reid ventured.

Hotch nodded. Gideon had told him he had spoken with Reid on the jet the night before. "And you don't agree with us?"

"I just don't know," Reid said, leaning back against the couch and running his hands through his hair.

"Then let's talk this through. Maybe talking to someone will help you sort everything out."

"I shouldn't be wasting your time," Reid commented, feeling guilty as he was sure Hotch had other work he could be doing instead. "I'm sure you have plenty of others things you could be working on."

"Reid, as your probationary agent, guiding you through the transition from the academy to being a field agent is the most important aspect of my job right now," Hotch told him. He decided not giving the younger agent time to protest for now would be the best course of action. Instead, he decided to try getting a feel for specifically what was stressing the younger agent out the most right now. "So, what is it that made you even consider quitting? Are we throwing too much at you too quickly?"

"What?" Reid said, sitting back up. "No! It's not you! It's me . . ."

Hotch held up his hand to quiet the younger agent. It was obvious to Hotch that Reid wasn't about to admit to anything if he thought it was going to make him upset with the younger agent. "Reid, I need you to be honest with me. I'm not going to be upset no matter what you tell me. I need the information so we can figure out where to go from here. Each person takes to this job differently. Also, everything that is said here is completely confidential and off the record. Do you understand me?"

Reid nodded and then taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly before answering the older agent's question. It took a few more carefully phrased questions from Hotch before Reid was finally telling his probationary agent all the thoughts that had been going through his mind about what he heard people saying, doubts about his ability to do the job, about getting his teammates to accept him, and the pressure he felt to live up to the high expectations that people seemed to have for him.

Hotch listened patiently, and tried to be encouraging when he did speak. He was careful not to dismiss anything the younger agent said as unimportant, no matter how insignificant it might seem from his perspective. Given the younger agent's frame of mind, he knew that even something minor would likely seem like a major issue for the younger man.

As he watched Reid leave his office over an hour later, Hotch noted that the younger man seemed a bit more at ease. The senior agent had felt that some progress had been made. Had tried to convince Reid that the only two people whose opinions really mattered were his own and Gideon's. That it didn't matter if others thought he didn't belong here, because the two of them knew he did and had confidence in his ability. Hotch had tried to reassure him that if he just continued doing his job, he would gain the acceptance and respect of his teammates and that his actions in Maine had already started that process.

_~At least I've convinced him to stick it out a little longer. Hopefully, things will get easier for him_, ~ Hotch thought, as he watched Reid head for his desk. _~And I'm going to need to be a bit more vocal in encouragement and support for a while. Reid needs to know that others believe in him so that he can start believing in himself.~_


	24. The Hacker Revealed

**AN: Okay, I'll admit it, I need some cheering up and the reviews from my wonderful readers always do that so here is an update. It's longer than what I normally post but as the next chapter skips some time, things needed to get put in here. For those of you who commented about wanting to see the scene with Morgan/Reid putting the bed together, I hope you enjoy the piece I added for you. Thanks to all my readers, reviewers, and people who have put this story and alert and their favorite lists. That means a lot to me.**

* * *

SSA Derek Morgan stepped off the elevator on the sixth floor, and headed for the bullpen, glad that all the Halloween nonsense was over with. He had spent Friday night hiding in the dark at his house, avoiding the trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood. He'd had enough of the holiday at the office that day, dealing with all the fools he worked with that had actually dressed in costume to come to work. Even Reid had shown up in costume, which in a way had surprised him.

Since the case in Maine, the new agent had been more quiet and withdrawn then he had been before, which Morgan hadn't thought possible. Though Hotch had apparently talked him out of resigning, Reid still seemed to worry about not making any mistakes at work. He hadn't spouted off any random facts while they were either in the bullpen or in the conference room. In fact, unless Nichols came into the bullpen or Morgan addressed him, Reid didn't say a word. If Hudson started making comments, the younger man tended to retreat to Nichols office before Morgan would even have a chance to speak up in Reid's defense. Even in the conference room, Reid had to be prompted to provide information or give his opinion on things. It made case debriefings awkward as the team had always operated with an open brainstorming policy, working off each other's ideas and asking questions. Morgan wondered how long Hotch and Gideon would let that go on, though he had noticed both of them tried to draw Reid into the conversations while they were working. It hadn't taken long for Nichols to pick up on their actions and join their efforts. Still, Reid seemed hesitant to offer information. Morgan almost missed the out of the blue rambles of the younger agent. Almost being the key word in that sentiment.

Morgan had thought the two of them had made headway during their poker game on the flight back from Bangor. If they had, it had completely disappeared the next day as five o'clock drew near. He hadn't understood that then but by the time he had left that evening he had an idea on what had caused the change. Over the time that had past, a little over a week now, Morgan had thought about the events of that evening, wondering if he and Reid were ever going to understand one another.

"_Hey, Reid, are you ready?" Morgan asked getting to his feet at the end of the work day. He picked his suit jacket up off the back of the chair and started putting it on._

"_What?" Reid asked, startled, as he looked up from the file he was working on._

"_It's five. I was going to help you get your bed put together, remember."_

"_Of course he remembers. He's got an eidetic memory," Hudson muttered as he tidied up his own desk._

_The comment earned him a scathing look from Morgan. Hudson just shrugged his shoulders and returned to his task. Glancing back in Reid's direction, Morgan found the younger agent staring down at his desk._

"_So are you ready to go?" Morgan asked, acting as if Hudson never made the comment._

"_You don't have to . . ."_

"_Hey, I put my life in the hands of my co-workers, so the last thing I want is one of them overly tired because they didn't have a proper place to sleep."_

_Reid sighed, seeming to resign himself to the situation. Closing the file he had been working on, he slid it into his messenger bag, intending to work on it at home. He put on his heavy jacket, and then slung the messenger bag over his one shoulder. Silently he followed Morgan toward the elevator._

_Except for giving directions, Reid hadn't spoken on the drive to his apartment. Morgan didn't force anything. Parking in front of Reid's apartment building, Morgan got out of the vehicle, grabbed the toolbox he had brought with him today, and followed Reid up to his apartment._

_The first thing Morgan had noticed when he walked into the apartment was that Reid had not finished unpacking. There were several boxes still piled against one wall. What was unpacked had been neatly organized just like Reid's desk at work. The apartment was so neat in fact that it didn't really have that lived in look to Morgan. The only exception to that was the futon, where a pillow and blanket were haphazardly piled at one end._

_~And that futon doesn't exactly look comfortable, ~ Morgan thought, as he closed the door behind him._

"_The bedroom's this way," Reid said, placing his bag on the floor against the wall and hanging his jacket up on the coat rack near the door._

_Morgan followed Reid to the bedroom. After Morgan took a quick glance at the directions, the two men got to work. It soon became clear that Reid wasn't exactly handy with tools, though he did try to be helpful instead of just standing off to the side and watching. However, the young genius managed to strip a screw, for which Morgan found a replacement in his toolbox, right after having got his tie stuck between the screw head and the metal support beam the first time he had tightened it. It didn't take Morgan long to realize that Reid didn't even know the difference between a Philips screw driver and a flathead, which made asking for tools interesting to say the least. Reid also managed to trip over the second support rail and upset the toolbox. Morgan was relieved when they finally placed the mattress on top of the foundation._

"_Thanks for the help. I'm sorry I wasn't more help," Reid said as Morgan closed his tool box._

"_You're welcome. As for the help, I guess you're not a genius in everything," Morgan joked. As soon as the words were out, he regretted saying them as he saw Reid's face fall._

"_I never claimed to know everything. There are a lot of things I still need to learn," Reid said quietly._

"_I know that. I was just joking."_

"_Didn't you mention you had a date? You don't want to be late for that," Reid said, in an attempt to dismiss him._

"_Reid, you're taking things too seriously. You need to loosen up a bit because you make yourself an easy target for people by getting upset so easily."_

"_Well, I wouldn't want to ruin your and Hudson's fun, now would I? Or maybe you just want to win the bet! What did you pick - me lasting two weeks? Is that why you didn't want me to quit?"_

"_What bet?" Morgan asked confused._

" _I overheard Hudson talking with Agent Sanders at work today about the pool at the office about how long I'd last in the BAU. Apparently Hudson gave me a week."_

"_I didn't know anything about a bet."_

"_Sure you didn't, Morgan. However, you can let everyone know that none of you are going to win because I'm not quitting if for no other reason now than to prove you all wrong."_

"_Man, you try to reach out to a guy, and you get accused of something you weren't a part of," Morgan said, as he turned on his heel and headed out of the bedroom, angry that Reid didn't believe him._

_He quickly reached the front door and had it opened before he paused. Morgan knew if he walked out like this now, he would never gain Reid's trust. Morgan pulled his hand back from the door knob and turned. He saw Reid standing in the doorway of the bedroom, his face showing a mixture of anger and hurt._

"_Reid, I really didn't know anything about a pool at the office. I do plan on putting an end to it on Monday though."_

"_It doesn't matter."_

"_Yes, it does," Morgan said, setting the toolbox down on the ground. "Doing something like that is no way to greet a new agent. I guess a lot of us, me included, haven't given you much of a chance to fit in. I'm sorry for my part in that."_

"_I'm use to it. I've never fit in any place before anyway, so I guess I really didn't expect it to be any different this time around. Even my own father didn't want anything to do with me," Reid replied quietly._

_Morgan wasn't sure what to say. It was the first time Reid had offered any personal information about himself. "You didn't know your father?"_

"_He walked out on my mom and me when I was ten. Left a letter and I haven't heard from him since."_

"_That's rough, man," Morgan said sympathetically. As hard as losing his father had been, at least he knew his Dad had loved him. Somehow, having him walk out of his life voluntarily seemed like it would be harder to deal with._

"_It's in the past," Reid said with a shrug._

"_Look, Reid I know we haven't gotten off to a great start, but I want you to know I'm glad you're not quitting. You made critical contribution to this last case and I know you'll continue to do so."_

"_Thanks."_

"_And I will put an end to that pool at the office."_

"_You don't have to."_

"_Yes, I do. It's not right," Morgan said. _

_Reid shrugged his shoulders in reply. _

"_You want to go grab a bite to eat somewhere," Morgan offered, realizing how lonely the younger man must be, in a city with no friends or family. "I can cancel my date."_

"_No. Go. Have fun. I'll see you on Monday, Morgan."_

_Morgan paused, wondering if it would be worth it to argue. He decided not to push the issue. "You've got my number, Reid," Morgan said, referring to the fact that every team member had everyone else's cell phone number so they could stay in contact with one another on cases. "If you need anything, feel free to call me. I'm serious."_

"_Thanks," Reid said._

_As he left the apartment, Morgan had a feeling that Reid hadn't really believed him._

Morgan had confronted Hudson about the office bet first thing on Monday morning. Had even had him gather everyone involved in it in the conference room during the lunch hour. During that time he had informed them that the bet was off and made sure everyone got their money back. As an incentive from keeping them from just redoing the whole thing as soon as he was out of the picture, he had told them that if he heard even a hint of any more bets regarding Reid that he would go to Gideon about it.

After taking care of that matter, Morgan had started reaching out more to Reid. He made sure he greeted the younger agent every morning last week. Had made attempts at small talk, though that hadn't gone well most of the time. Reid was guarded around him, answering questions with answers as short as he could manage. Morgan had even offered him a ride home when they had returned from a case late at night. Reid had declined and took the metro home instead.

~_Snapping at him because of his enthusiasm for Halloween probably didn't help matters, either_, ~ Morgan thought as he walked toward his desk that morning. Though he had apologized before leaving work on Friday, the dark-skinned agent still felt a bit guilty about that, which was why instead of just one cup of coffee from the coffee shop he sometimes stopped at on his way into the office, he was carrying two this morning.

"Morning, Reid," Morgan said as he approached the end of the bullpen where their desks were located. He placed his own coffee on his desk and took the last few steps toward Reid's desk.

"Morning," came the younger agent's reply, though he didn't look up. It was a greeting that Morgan was becoming accustomed too.

Morgan placed the coffee down on Reid's desk. The other agent glanced over at the cup and then finally looked up at Morgan, an unasked question on his face.

"I had a few extra minutes this morning so I stopped for coffee and picked you up one. Thought you might enjoy something other than our regular workplace fare for a change," Morgan told him.

"Thanks," Reid replied.

"Are you finished settling in, yet?" Morgan asked, remembering the unpacked boxes at the younger agent's apartment. He had asked the question a few times last week and gotten a negative reply. As he asked the question, he turned back to his desk. Picking up his coffee cup, he turned to lean against the edge of his desk. One thing he had learned over the past week, was that Reid was more at ease if he put a bit of distance between the two of them when they talked.

"Yeah. Finished unpacking this weekend," Reid replied, reaching for the coffee cup that Morgan had placed on his desk.

"Is that all you did this weekend?" Morgan asked.

Reid shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of coffee. "After going with Nichols to take his son and niece out trick-or-treating, yeah."

"Guess you don't know many people in the area, huh?" Morgan commented, thinking of the party invitations he had received, all of which he had turned down. Halloween was so not his thing.

"Not really," came his co-worker's quiet reply. "Never have been good at making friends. Guess I'm just not that likeable."

"Reid it's not that," Morgan told him, that simple reply telling Morgan a lot more than what was actually said. He didn't get a chance to say anything else though as Nichols' comment interrupted the conversation.

"Hey Morgan, thank-you so much for letting me borrowing Clooney. Evan thinks I'm the coolest Dad around right now. I even had to print pictures of him in his costume out for him so he could take them to school today."

"It's no problem. He thanked me himself when you dropped Clooney off Friday night," Morgan said, knowing exactly what Nichols was referring to.

Evan had decided that he wanted to be a K-9 police officer after seeing the one who had come in to do a Say No to Drugs program at his school. The uniform part of the costume didn't prove to be difficult as Vanessa was a handy seamstress. She was able to make her nephew a uniform matching the ones that the D.C. police wore without much problem. A fake badge and a fake gun, and Evan was a police officer. Not owning a dog themselves though made making him distinguishable as a K-9 officer a bit more difficult. Nichols had finally asked Morgan if they could borrow his two-year-old German Shepard, Clooney.

"Though, I thought you said that Clooney liked everybody?" Nichols asked as he joined his co-worker's in the bullpen. The computer specialist walked toward them, stopping just behind Reid's chair.

Morgan noted the uneasy glance that Reid tossed over his shoulder. _~Apparently the distance thing applies to everyone, even Nichols_, ~ Morgan noted, as he responded to his co-worker's comment.

"I did. I haven't had any problem with him. He's a great companion but a lousy guard dog. The neighborhood kids love him. Why? Did you have a problem with him Friday night?"

"A little bit of an incident before we started trick-or-treating. I almost vetoed the idea of taking Clooney with us but Evan begged."

"If I thought there had been any issue at all, I wouldn't have agreed to let you take him. Clooney loves everybody."

"My pant leg says differently," Reid commented from his desk, causing Morgan to look from Nichols to the younger agent.

"He went after you?" Morgan asked. Reid nodded in response. "Did he bite you?"

Reid shook his head. "No, just grabbed my pant leg and wouldn't let go until Nichols pulled him off," he replied. "Then proceeded to growl at me every time he saw me."

"Did you do something to provoke him?"

"I didn't do a thing except walk into the house," Reid said defensively. "Granted I don't exactly like dogs, because they don't like me, but I'm not going to do anything to them. Is it my fault that there is something about me that makes dogs think I would be tasty?"

"I didn't mean to imply that you did anything intentional," Morgan replied. "I just wanted to know if you made some kind of movement that might have triggered him that I need to watch out for. You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"He really did just step into the house. I hadn't even closed the front door when Clooney grabbed a hold of his pant leg. The Chihuahua my one neighbor was carrying around barked at him too, along with three little kids from the neighborhood who started crying out of the blue the second they saw him, though that might have been the Dracula teeth he was wearing."

"No, that's pretty much a normal reaction for little kids, too," Reid supplied.

"The Reid Effect. Causes dogs and kids to behave irrationally," Morgan quipped, causing Nichols to laugh.

"Glad you two think it's funny," Reid commented, going back to the papers in front of him.

"Ahh, we tease because we care, Junior," Nichols said lightly, as he reached out and mused up the young doctor's hair.

"Sure," Reid muttered.

"So other than that, the night went okay?" Morgan asked, changing the topic.

"Yeah. Both kids had a blast. Both Evan and Karen loved the fact that Reid actually dressed up and gave me grief about it until I finally dug out a pirate hat and eye patch to make them happy. First time I've dressed up for Halloween since I was in college. I felt like a fool but as it made the kids happy, it was worth it."

"Bet you looked cute."

"Yeah, well sorry but there is only one picture and you'll never see it, nor is it coming anywhere near this office. I will willingly look like a fool for my son and niece but not for my co-workers. Sometimes I don't think I get to spend enough time with Tara and Evan. It was different when their mother was alive, I didn't worry about it as much knowing she was with them. Now, I try to make the most of the time I do get. It was nice getting to take them out myself this year instead of just hearing about it."

The conversation stopped as Hotch stepped from Gideon's office and came over to the railing.

"Reid, Morgan, we've got a request for a consult that I would like your help with."

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied, pushing off the desk and heading for the steps. "Talk to ya later, Nichols," he told his teammate, as Reid got to his feet.

As Morgan started up the steps, he saw Hudson hurrying through the glass doors at the other end of the bullpen. Morgan glanced down at his watch which read two minutes after nine. Morgan shook his head as he continued toward Hotch's office.

"Agent Nichols," one of the other agents in the bullpen called out.

"Yeah," Nichols replied, looking in the agent's direction.

"Phone call."

Nichols headed toward the agent's desk, who was holding up the phone wondering who was calling him that would be so intent on getting a hold of him that they hadn't just left him a voice mail. He exchanged greetings with Hudson as he made his way over to the agent's desk who had answered the call.

"Agent Nichols," he said, after taking the phone from the other agent.

"Agent Nichols, this is Agent D'Angelo," the man on the phone said. D'Angelo was head of the Cyber Division agent at headquarters. He was also in charge of the investigation into the hacker, not to mention the agent who had recruited him to the FBI.

Nichols had managed to track the hacker back to a computer lab on the University of San Francisco campus. From there, the chase had been turned over to the cyber squad in the San Francisco Field office. "I just wanted to let you know that the cyber squad out in San Francisco was able to identify the person using the university computer to hack the data base. Good work."

"Thank-you, sir. Who was it?" Nichols asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Someone who has been on our watch list for about a year now," D'Angelo replied. "A Penelope Garcia."

_~They weren't watching her too well if she hacked the database right under their noses, ~ _Nichols thought, mildly amused. The federal agent committed the name to memory, planning on doing some checking up on the hacker himself. She had given him quite a chase and he had to admire her for that.

"We've decided that in light of this latest escapade of hers that she is too much of a danger to have out in the real world."

"So you're going to arrest her over a smiley face?" Nichols asked, thinking that they were lucky this hacker was only trying to have a little fun. Someone who could breach the security measures that were in place, which had now been updated, could have done a whole lot more damage than just be a nuisance. ~_She's someone we need on our side_, ~ Nichols thought. He was about to go out on a limb and suggest just that when Agent D'Angelo spoke again.

"We're hoping that it doesn't come to that," the Cyber Division agent replied. "Someone with her talents could be useful, though certain concessions may have to be made. We're prepared to offer her a position within the bureau to avoid jail time and we'd like you to go out to San Francisco and deliver the offer."

"Me?" Nichols asked, surprised by the suggestion. Though respected for his computer skills, there were still those in the bureau who didn't quite trust him, especially those in authority. Nichols had been passed over for promotions not because of his work performance but because of his past, more than once. Though he might have gotten the title of Special Agent, Nichols had been convinced that he would spend his entire career stuck in a mid-level position within the FBI's Cyber Division. That in itself, had been one of the reasons that he had jumped at the opportunity when Gideon had offered him a position within the BAU. It had been the first time anyone outside of the Cyber Division had shown any interest in wanting him in their department and though he probably wouldn't find a promotion to a leadership position even here, he knew the transfer could possibly open doors. What he hadn't counted on was finding a spot on a team where he felt he was accepted for whom he was not just what he could do. Felt that Gideon trusted him even though he knew the circumstances of how he got recruited to the FBI. "The bureau has never once asked me to do any type of recruitment activity before, so why this time?"

"Because this is a special set of circumstances. This Penelope Garcia has gone from a known possible threat to a threat to the bureau's security. Yes, her actions were nothing more than annoying this time but we can't take a chance of there being a second time, just like the last time we were faced with this position. If you recall, there was a bit of mistrust and disbelief at the offer the last time it was made."

Nichols smiled. He had given D'Angelo a hard time on that visit, as well as basically calling the federal agent a liar. More specifically, that they were only making the offer to attempt to get an outright confession from him, as up to that point Nichols had refused to make any admission that he had been involved in what they were accusing him of.

"So, you think that by having me present the offer, that this hacker won't assume we have a hidden agenda," Nichols said.

"I'm hoping that having been in her position before, that you might be able to handle the situation a bit more delicately than the last time," D'Angelo replied.

Nichols smiled. "When do I leave?" Nichols asked, knowing that he would be going whether he agreed to or not.

"I've got you booked on the eight o'clock flight out west tomorrow morning. I've already sent an email to SSA Gideon informing him of the assignment, but you'll probably want to touch base with him yourself."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll make sure you have the paperwork for the offer we're making Penelope Garcia by five o'clock this evening. The San Francisco office will send agents with you to pay her the visit. Someone from the office will meet your flight when you get out there."

"Understood," Nichols replied. After exchanging good-byes with D'Angelo, he hung up the phone and headed toward Gideon's office. ~_Let's go see if Gideon has read that email yet, ~_ Nichols thought as he went up the steps leading out of the bullpen.

* * *

It was five o'clock in the evening San Francisco time, when the black SUV carrying SSA Chad Nichols and two agents from the San Francisco field office pulled up in front of the house of Ricardo Garcia. As far as the cyber squad agents in the city could figure, Penelope Garcia was currently staying with her brother, Ricardo, and his family. ~_If nothing else, the brother should know where we can find her_, ~ Nichols thought, as he climbed from the black four door sedan, actually looking forward to meeting the hacker that had broken the security measures he had help developed for the FBI's network. Despite the fact that he had worked for the bureau for the past twelve years, the hacker in him admired this woman's skills.

Nichols had done a background check on the woman. Born Penelope Ann Mitchell, her biological father had walked out on his family when Penelope was four years old. Her younger brother, Richard, was only three years old. Relying on help from friends to watch the kids, her mother Ann Marie Mitchell worked two jobs to support herself and her two kids until she met Andres Garcia, a shop owner in San Francisco. A year after the two had met, they were married, respectively adopting each other's children as Andres had three boys of his own - Ricardo, Miguel, and Carlos. Ricardo and Miguel were older than Penelope while Carlos was two years younger. At the age of eight, Penelope Ann Mitchell officially became Penelope Ann Garcia.

Very bright, Penelope graduated high school a year early. At seventeen she had started studying computers at Caltech. After her parents were killed by a drunk driver in her Sophomore year, the computer science major dropped out Caltech and off the grid for a few years. When she had finally surfaced, both the FBI and CIA had placed her on watch lists.

Agent Nichols led the other two agents up the front walk of the residence. Reaching the front door, he reached out and rang the doorbell. It was a few minutes before the door was answered, by a Hispanic male in his early thirties.

"Ricardo Garcia?" Nichols inquired.

"Yes," the man answered slowly, taking in all three men in suits standing on his front porch. "Who's asking?"

Nichols took out his credentials and held them open for the man. "Supervisory Special Agent Chad Nichols, with the FBI. We're here to talk to your sister, Penelope Garcia. It's our understanding that she is currently residing with you."

"Yes, she is," Ricardo replied, a trace of worry and uneasiness in his voice. "May I ask what this is about?"

"It's a matter that needs to be discussed with your sister. Is she in?" Nichols asked. Though he had an arrest warrant tucked in the inside pocket of his suit jacket in case it was necessary, he was hoping it wouldn't come to that. As Ricardo hesitated once more, the federal agent was starting to think he wasn't going to get that lucky.

Finally, after another glance at all three agents, Ricardo nodded once, and stepped to the side. "Come in," he invited.

Agent Nichols stepped into the house followed by the other two agents.

"You can have a seat in the living room and I'll go get her," Ricardo informed the three FBI agents, gesturing to the living room which lay right off the entry hall.

Nichols nodded and led the other two agents into the room. He didn't bother with putting away his credentials, figuring that Penelope Garcia was going to want to see the badge for herself. He knew that he would in her position.

It wasn't long before a plump blonde, dressed in a fluorescent pink blouse, and black slacks walked into the living room. Two smiling suns were in the front of the two pig tails that her hair was pulled up in, and tropical fish dangled from her ears.

"You wanted to see me?" the woman asked nervously, looking around at all three agents.

"Penelope Garcia?" Nichols asked, needing to hear the confirmation for himself.

"Yes."

"Why don't we sit down and I'll tell you why we're here?" Nichols suggested.

"Can my brother stay?" the blonde asked, still sounding nervous. The fact that she hadn't yet asked what FBI agents wanted to talk to her about told Nichols that she already had an idea of why they were here.

"If you wish," Nichols replied. "Why don't we sit down?" he suggested.

Penelope nodded, gesturing to the couch and easy chairs. While she and Ricardo sat down on the couch, Nichols took a seat in the closest easy chair. The two San Francisco agents took up positions on either side of the doorway, their posture relaxed but clearly alert. The blonde looked nervously at them.

"Forget they're even there," Nichols said, catching where Penelope's gaze was focused.

"Easy for you to say," she muttered, though she did avert her gaze from them to Nichols.

"I noticed you haven't asked me what I'm doing here," Nichols ventured.

Penelope shrugged. "I figured you'd eventually get around to telling me."

Nichols allowed himself a small smile. Unwritten code of a hacker - don't admit to anything until someone specifically accuses you of it. No reason to admit to something they don't yet know about.

"Well, then let's get down to business then. Recently, the FBI database was hacked. After taking care of the immediate threat, the bureau conducted an investigation into the origin of the attack."

"Are you trying to say you think Penelope is responsible for hacking your database?" Ricardo asked, incredulously, stopping himself short before calling the federal agent crazy and ordering him out of his home.

"We traced the attack to a computer lab at the University of San Francisco . . ."

"Penelope doesn't go to USF. She went to Caltech for a while but . . ."

"The university turned over video surveillance footage to us, sir. We can not only place your sister in the computer lab at the time the attack on our database occurred but also at the computer in question along with other evidence that links you to not only this security breach but other network attacks over the years."

Ricardo looked to his sister.

"I've been taking a few classes at USF here and there," Penelope admitted.

"And their accusations about hacking the database? Did you do that?" Ricardo asked, knowing that his sister had on occasion done some questionable things with computers. Part of him couldn't believe that she would do something so stupid as to hack a government database. He knew his sister well enough that he could read the silence. "Don't say anything," he told her. "We'll get a good lawyer and fight this."

"Fight the government. Ricardo, I know you love me but even you can't come up with that kind of money," Penelope answered, before letting her gaze drift to agent Nichols. "So, I guess you're here to arrest me?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Nichols answered, the sincerity in his voice evident. "The FBI has had you on a watch list for the last few years. Until now, you have been viewed as only a potential threat. This incident has changed that status."

"I wouldn't have messed anything up. I was just bored," Penelope said, for the first time making an admission to being the one behind the database breach.

"Nevertheless, the FBI can't ignore such a breech in security. Something like this has only happened once before."

"The Kumbaya Hacker," Penelope replied knowingly.

Nichols looked at the blonde before him critically. "That happened more than twelve years ago - you would have been what thirteen?"

Penelope nodded. "I was just getting into computers at about that time. Dabbling really but that incident made the news, even out here, and it kind of caught my interest. The Kumbaya Hacker did something that people thought was impossible at the time. He sort of became my inspiration and the reason I got so absorbed in computers. I don't like convention. I like to explore all possibilities and I guess I sort of saw that incident as proof the computers were opening a whole new world of possibilities," the blonde reply. Her expression got a little thoughtful as she continued speaking. "I often wondered what happened to him. All the FBI ever said was that the situation had been taken care of."

"He was given the same proposition that we are prepared to offer to you now," Nichols told her, as he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out the envelope holding the job offer that D'Angelo had prepared for Penelope Garcia, leaving the arrest warrant right where it was at.

Penelope tentatively took the envelope that Agent Nichols held out to her. Opening it, she held it so that Ricardo could read over her shoulder.

"You're offering me a job?" Penelope said incredulously.

"We are."

"This is some kind of plot to try to get her to admit to what you're accusing her of," Ricardo said.

"Sir, we have enough evidence that we can make the charges we have against your sister stick without resorting to a ploy for a confession," Nichols informed him. The federal agent turned his attention back to Penelope. "At this point you've only have two options open to you - take the job offer or face time in prison."

"Well working anywhere is a better option than prison," Penelope ventured, glancing over at her brother. Ricardo reluctantly agreed. "Would I have to move?"

"Only if you want to. If not, you can take a civilian position with the San Francisco field office."

Slowly, Penelope leaned forward, placing the contract on the coffee table. Agent Nichols had said she had two options but that wasn't how she felt right then. She felt as if she was backed into a corner. The blonde had to tell herself that things could be worse. She could have been in handcuffs right now instead of signing a contract. Taking the pen that Agent Nichols held out to her, Penelope slowly signed her name to the contract before turning it back over to Nichols.

"Someone at the field office will get in touch with you within the next couple days about getting started."

Penelope nodded, unable to find words right then. Agent Nichols got to his feet, saying good-bye to both of the siblings. After saying they could see themselves out, Agent Nichols headed for the doorway. The other two agents were at the front door, by the time Nichols reached the doorway between the living room and the entry way when Penelope spoke up.

"Sir, you said the Kumbaya Hacker was giving this option too. What did he choose to do?"

"I took the job," Agent Nichols responded. He walked back over to the couch. Taking out one of his cards he held it out to her. "If you need someone to talk to, give me a call," Nichols told her, as Penelope took the card from him.

With that said, Nichols turned once more and headed for the front door. Together the three FBI agents left the home of Ricardo Garcia, their assignment completed. Nichols was looking forward to getting on a plane and heading home.

~_Sometimes, getting caught is the best thing that can happen,_~ he thought, as he climbed into the back of the black sedan.


	25. Sixty Days

_AN: Sorry this update is on Thursday instead of Wednesday - real life got in the way and I ended up with some major edits in this chapter. I want to thank peanutmeg for betaing this chapter for me. Her suggestions/corrections helped a lot. BTW - I want to thank everyone who has put this story on there favorite list - I never thought one of my stories would have over 200 favorite alerts but this one does! You guys are awesome!_

* * *

_Dear Mom,_

_I guess I should be nervous today – Agent Hotchner turns in his first evaluation of me. Somehow, I'm not though. Maybe it's because despite a rough start, I know I've tried my best and what he chooses to include or not include in my evaluation is out of my hands; regardless of his evaluation, I actually did it. I made it through my first sixty days as a special agent for the FBI. It's definitely been a roller coaster ride and at points I didn't think I would get this far, but here I am. I've done my best and after all, you've always told me that doing my best was all that anyone could ever expect from me._

_Things at the office are starting to get festive. Most of the agents' office doors have wreaths on them. Agent Nichols has gone all out with his office, though. He's covered the outside of the door with green and red stripped wrapping paper, and stuck silver and gold package bows all over the door. He strung Christmas lights around the inside of the room, and even brought in a small artificial tree that is sitting on a small stand in the corner. The tree started in the conference room but Gideon made him take it out. There is still blue garland strung around the conference room though. Somehow Nichols has talked Gideon into letting him keep up._

_Though the majority of the agents are showing the holiday spirit, no one is close to Nichols in that department. I get the feeling Agent Gideon isn't much into the holiday. He seems to be patiently allowing others their fun, but isn't participating much himself. Even the wreath on his door is only there because Nichols put it up. I guess in a way I understand how he feels. I haven't heard Agent Gideon talk much about any family, and though he spends time with Agent Hotchner and some other agents outside of work, that seems to be the limit to his social outings. Getting into the holiday spirit isn't as easy when you don't have friends and family to share it with. Don't worry about me though. I'll be fine and I hope you allow yourself to enjoy the holiday. I know everyone at Bennington goes out of their way to make it special for everyone there and I hope to hear all about the festivities. I'll call you Christmas night to hear all the news._

Spencer wrote a few more paragraphs in the letter and then folded the paper, tucking it inside a Christmas card that he had picked up for his mother. He had already mailed out his Christmas gift to her, sending it in care of the facility so that it could be given to her on Christmas morning. Slipping the card into the envelope, he sealed it and then quickly flipped it over to write the address and press a stamp to the upper right corner.

Getting to his feet, he glanced at the clock. It was still a bit early but he decided he would leave for the office anyway. It wasn't like he had anything to do around the apartment. With the card and some bills he needed to mail in his hand, he walked toward the door. He placed the mail on the desk near the wall and reached for his winter coat. After donning the coat, scarf, hat and leather gloves, Reid shouldered his messenger bag, grabbed his keys and the mail from the desk and headed out of his apartment.

Stepping onto the front steps of the building, Reid felt the icy wind that was blowing hit the bare skin of his face. Soft snowflakes floated slowly down from the sky and had already created a light film of white on the ground. This wasn't the first time they had snow, but as of yet there had been very little accumulation. It looked like this storm might change that. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, as the Las Vegas native was already looking forward to the warmer summer temperatures to return.

Walking down the steps, Reid walked toward the nearby mailbox. He dropped the envelopes into the blue box, and then stuffing his hands deep into his pockets, started making his way to the closet metro stop. Already, he could feel the cold trying to seep through his warm clothes and couldn't wait to get inside.

"I so don't see what the big deal about snow is," Reid muttered as he walked quickly down the street.

* * *

By the time Reid was walking toward the building housing the Academy, the snow was falling faster. Finding the snow perfect for creating snowballs, several agents had apparently forgotten how old they actually were, and were tossing the round white ammunition at one another. Hoping to reach the front entrance without getting hit, Reid kept his head down and quickly walked toward the front of the building.

He was just about there when a snowball suddenly made contact with the back of his neck. As it fell apart, snow slipped in between his skin and the scarf that had loosened some during his travels, causing Reid to gasp at the shock of the cold precipitation.

"Oh, man, Reid I'm sorry," he heard Morgan say. "I was aiming for Sanders but he ducked."

Reid didn't respond as he just kept walking toward the door. He wasn't about to give his co-workers extra time to throw more snowballs at him.

~_I'm already really starting to hate snow_, ~ he thought to himself as he hurried up the front steps. He was reaching for the door handle when Morgan caught up to him.

"You okay, Reid?" Morgan asked, as he reached out to brush the rest of the snow off the back of the younger agent's scarf and coat.

"I'm fine," Reid replied, pulling open the door and walking inside.

The security guards on duty glanced up and recognizing them waved them through. As he crossed the lobby toward the elevators, Morgan still in step with him, Reid reached up to remove the scarf. Snow fell to the floor as he unwrapped it.

"I really didn't mean to hit you," Morgan said, as Reid stabbed at the up button on the wall.

Reid glanced over at Morgan. Two months ago, he would have had a hard time believing the older agent. However, now he didn't doubt the sincerity that he saw in his co-worker's dark eyes. While he wouldn't call the older man a friend, and Morgan did tend to tease him from time to time, Morgan did greet him every morning and attempted conversations with him, which was more than most of the other agents did.

"It's okay. I'm just glad to be inside now."

"Not exactly enjoying winter so far, huh?" Morgan commented, as the elevator doors opened and the two stepped inside.

"It can't be over soon enough," Reid commented.

"Just be happy you're not in Chicago," Morgan said, with an amused laugh as he stuffed his gloves into the pocket of his worn leather jacket.

"I'll stick to trying to fit in here," Reid said quietly, his gloved hands stuffed into his coast pocket again.

"You're doing fine."

"Hope Agent Hotchner shares that sentiment."

Morgan glanced at Reid briefly trying to figure out the comment. It didn't take him long to make the connection. "Your first evaluation?" Morgan asked. Reid nodded in reply. "So, you made it sixty days, huh. Good job."

"I've got to make it through today still."

"Well, I promise not to throw any more snowballs in your direction."

"Bet no one had me lasting this long in that office pool."

"I wouldn't know," Morgan said, fibbing slightly as he knew the longest anyone had given Reid was thirty days and that was only because he had overheard two of their fellow agents making a comment. "Now that you've made it this far, things should start getting easier."

"I hope so," Reid said quietly, as the doors opened and the two agents stepped onto the sixth floor.

Reid had just reached his desk when a voice called him.

"Reid, I'd like to see you in my office as soon as you're settled," Hotch said, when the younger agent glanced up at him.

"Yes, sir," Reid replied quickly, wondering if he had made a mistake in the paperwork he had turned in the day before.

Reid lifted the strap of his bag over his head and placed it in his chair. He then quickly stripped off the gloves and heavy coat, draping the latter over the back of his chair. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Reid started toward the steps leading out of the bullpen.

"Relax," Morgan told him as Reid walked by his desk.

Reid didn't acknowledge the comment as he climbed the steps and crossed over to his supervisor's office. He knocked on the open door, and entered as Hotch beckoned him inside. As Reid walked into the office, Hotch stood up from his chair.

"Have a seat," Hotch told the younger agent, gesturing to the chair he had just vacated. "I sent in your evaluation this morning. I'd like to share it with you."

"Is that allowed?" Reid asked nervously, as he took slow steps toward the older agent.

Hotch allowed himself one of his rare smiles while he was at work. "It's not usually how it goes, but there are no policies saying I can't show you the evaluation. Once it's placed in your file it becomes available to you anyway," Hotch told him.

Reid slowly sat down in the chair and started reading the file that was open on the screen.

_It is my opinion that Agent Reid has shown an above average performance in his first sixty days as an agent. He listens to and observes his fellow agents while out in the field. When he is unsure of or doesn't know something, he is not afraid to ask questions. Also, despite the fact that he has been hesitant to share insights and has shown hesitancy in addressing groups, those areas have shown improvement over the course of his time with the BAU. His mistakes have been minor and he has evaluated every instance and learned from it, thus making himself a better agent. Agent Reid has proved himself to be a valuable member of this team since his initial case. _

The evaluation went on to list several of those contributions, including his warning about Carmichael's presence before the man had opened fire on them in the tailor shop in Bangor. Reaching the end of the evaluation, Reid looked up at his training agent.

"Thanks," the young doctor said, wanting to say more but not sure how to put what he was feeling inside into words.

"There's no need to thank me," Hotch told him. "You've put in the hard work the last couple of months. All I did was put it into words and I'm hoping that seeing the contributions you have made to our cases there in black and white, might help you realize that you are a valuable member of this team."

"I still can't handle seeing a dead body well," Reid replied, thinking of their last case.

Though he hadn't retreated from the scene or gotten sick while there, he had felt nauseous the entire time. When they had left the scene, the young genius had been glad that he had manage to keep lunch down. That hadn't lasted long though. He had been going back to the station with Hotch and Morgan and they hadn't gotten far before Reid was insisting that Morgan pull the SUV over. The dark-skinned agent hadn't questioned the request, and Reid had managed to climb from the vehicle before losing lunch on the side of the road.

"Give it time," Hotch told him. "You've made progress."

"Do you really think I can do this job?"

"I know you can do this job. The question is if you still want to do this job."

"Yes, I do," Reid replied, without hesitation, surprising even himself.

"Good. Then how about you go out there and put in some work before the team briefing. Gideon's finishing getting details from the Virginia State Police on a possible case."

"Yes, sir," Reid replied, vacating Hotch's chair as he got to his feet.

Feeling more confident then he had only a few minutes ago, Reid left the office and headed down to the bullpen. Even seeing Hudson sitting at the desk adjacent to his own wasn't enough to dampen his spirits. He just couldn't let the older profiler get to him. He was here to do a job, and Hudson and he didn't have to like each other to do that job. It didn't mean he didn't want his teammate's approval; he just wasn't going to let Hudson's disapproval stop him from doing his job.

A half-hour later though, Reid's high spirit was starting to dim. Hudson had thrown a not so veiled barb in his direction when he had asked Morgan a question. Morgan had ignored Hudson and answered his question, but Reid hadn't been able to dismiss it so easily. He had debated on seeking out the safety of Nichols office, which he often did when he wanted to escape from Hudson, but he hadn't yet reached that point and he wasn't even certain Nichols was in his office. Thankfully, Hudson had just left to go find some files he needed reference to. Reid was trying to concentrate on the paper work when the team's computer specialist came into the bullpen.

Just like he had previous years, Nichols was currently organizing a secret Santa for the fast approaching holiday. As the team was supposed to have the entire week of Christmas off, that left seven days until their last day before Christmas. Nichols had informed them yesterday that they would be picking names today. He had already stopped by Hotch's office, and as Gideon always insisted on taking the last name, Nichols had headed for the bullpen.

"Your turn, Junior," Nichols said, holding out the small paper lunch bag that he had put the names of the team members into.

"I thought I told you I didn't want to participate," Reid replied, looking up at Nichols.

Although Reid had continued to adjust to being a part of the team over the past month and a half by being more active in team discussions, he had yet to completely overcome his inherent nervousness around his teammates. Prompting him to speak was still occasionally necessary, especially after Hudson or Morgan gave him a hard time about stating random facts or teased him about answering a question that had been rhetorical.

Outside of the cases they worked, the young genius tended to keep to himself unless someone attempted to have a conversation with him. Though he would participate in a card game on the way back from a case, or engage Gideon in a game of chess, Reid never went out with them after work hours. The only exception to that had been the dinner party the Hotchners had held for the team the Friday before Thanksgiving, but even then Reid had been reluctant to attend, and had kept to himself while there. Though Reid never volunteered personal information, Nichols figured he probably knew more about the young genius than most of his teammates, as he had gotten Reid to join him and his family for dinner on several occasions and had found that the younger agent would open up some if asked questions.

"You did, but I decided I wasn't taking no for an answer, just like with the dinner invitation for Christmas Day. Vanessa and I decided you can't spend the entire day alone so barring you flying out to Las Vegas to spend the holiday with your mother, you better be at my house come four o'clock on Christmas or I'm coming to find you. Remember, not only does the bureau keep track of everyone's location while they are on leave, which I have access to, but I can also check plane reservations without too much trouble, along with bus and train reservations, car rentals and track your cell phone and credit and debit card usage if need be. I also know where you live."

"Do you know what the word 'no' means?" Reid asked.

"Sure I do, I just refuse to accept it as an answer and feel free to tell me all about which parts of speech it can be used as, its origin and any other obscure facts that you might know. I'm not Morgan, I will sit here patiently until you spout out all that information and still insist that you pick a name," Nichols told him, shaking the paper bag that he was still holding out in front of the younger agent.

"What can I say?" Morgan commented from his own desk, having been listening to the exchange. "English class was never exactly my favorite subject and that included vocabulary. Hey Reid, what is the definition of the word patient?"

"You definitely wouldn't find a picture of yourself next the word," Reid responded, actually realizing that Morgan was trying to set him up. The response elicited a smile from Morgan and a laugh from Nichols.

Nichols shook the bag again, and with a sigh, Reid put his hand into the bag. He couldn't decide what would be worse. Drawing Hudson's name, who wouldn't appreciate any gift from him, regardless of what it was or drawing Gideon's name. He would have no idea what to buy the unit chief. Even though the idea of this was that the giving would be done secretly, Reid wasn't naive enough to think that would actually happen.

~_These things never remain secret long_, ~ Reid thought, as he pulled a slip of paper out of the bag. Unfolding it, he looked at the name and was relieved to see Nichols name on the paper. ~_At least he'll pretend he likes the gift even if he doesn't, _~ Reid thought.

"You didn't pull your own name did you?" Nichols asked.

Reid shook his head.

"Good," Nichols said, turning to Morgan "Your turn, Morgan," the computer specialist said holding out the paper bag.

"Do you come in here wearing an elf hat on the last day before Christmas break too?" Morgan asked, as he reached into the bag. He wasn't quite feeling the Christmas mood yet but he was willing to humor his teammate.

"You dress up as Santa Claus and I will happily come in here as one of your elves," Nichols replied.

"The only way that is ever happening is if I'm drunk," Morgan replied, opening the slip of paper to reveal the name.

"That could be arranged," Hudson said, coming up behind Morgan, a stack of files in his hands. "You in a Santa suit would make great blackmail pictures."

"You wouldn't live to use them," Morgan replied without missing a beat as he read the name on the paper. "Nichols, did you rig this thing?"

"Yeah, I only put my name in it," the computer tech replied, holding the bag out to Hudson as the other agent put the files he was carrying down on his desk.

Hudson pulled out a piece of paper, opened it and groaned. "He did rig this thing," he said as he sat down in his chair.

"This place definitely needs some Christmas cheer," was Nichols response as he took the paper bag and the remaining two slips of paper up the steps, heading for Gideon's office.

"I'll find my Christmas cheer when I am on the plane and heading for Chicago," Morgan replied. He was flying home for Christmas this year, and was looking forward to seeing his mother and sisters.

"Oh, I plan on having you in the Christmas spirit before then," Nichols replied, as he crossed to the door of Gideon's office.

As the office door was shut, Nichols knocked on the door. Hearing Gideon's call for him to enter, he opened the door. Gideon looked up from his computer as Nichols walked in.

"Last two slips, Boss," Nichols said, as he crossed over to the desk.

"Go ahead and pick one out," Gideon told him.

Nichols reached into the bag and pulled out one of the two slips. He tossed the paper bag and remaining slip down on the desk. As Nichols unfolded the piece of paper, Gideon removed the last slip from the bag.

"Did you end up with your own name?" Gideon asked, unfolding the slip of paper he held.

"No," Nichols said, as he read Morgan's name on the slip of paper he held in his hands. "You?"

"No. Though shopping for my own gift would have been appealing," Gideon replied.

"Yeah, now why doesn't that surprise me," Nichols said. "I'll see ya in a bit in the conference room, Boss," he said, giving Gideon a quick wave as he headed back out of the office.

* * *

"There seems to be absolutely no connection to the five crime scenes," Hudson commented, as he and Morgan claimed a pool table. He placed his fries and glass of soda on a nearby table and then started pulling the balls from below the table and placing them on top.

The Virginia State Police had asked for the BAU's help with six murders at five different houses, in nearby Catlett, Virginia. The medical examiner had put time of death for all six victims, five females and one male, to be within four hours of each other. After the team briefing that morning, Hudson, Morgan, Gideon and Hotch had headed for Catlett to profile the scenes leaving Nichols and Reid back at the BAU to start on victimology. After profiling all five scenes, they had met back up at the conference room to share information. It had been seven o'clock when Gideon had finally let them go for the night, none of them feeling as if they had really made in progress on the case. Though Gideon had given them an eight o'clock start time for the next day, Morgan and Hudson had headed to The Shield Bar and Grill to grab something to eat and unwind before heading home.

"There has to be something," Morgan commented, placing his own glass on the table and walking to the nearby rack two get two cues. Selecting two he rejoined his friend. "Despite the different causes of deaths, how the bodies were found and the weapons used, Catlett only has less than three hundred people. Six deaths in the course of one night is more than just coincidence."

"What you don't remember the exact statistics, Dr. Reid supplied us with?" Hudson asked, his voice laced with sarcasm as he took one of the cue sticks from Morgan.

"No, but if you would like, I can give him a call and ask him to remind you of the specifics," Morgan replied easily.

"You wouldn't dare," Hudson replied, even though he wasn't so sure of that. He placed the cue stick on the table and reached for the white plastic triangle. When he spoke again, it was an attempt to change the topic. "I thought we came here to unwind," he commented, starting to rack the balls.

"You're right," Morgan said, knowing eight a.m. would come awfully fast. "I can't believe my bad luck in drawing a name for this Secret Santa Nichols insisted we do," Morgan commented, changing the topic.

"Yours can't be as bad as the name I got," Hudson commented as he carefully lifted the triangle off of the pool table. "Go ahead and break."

"I drew Hotch's name. What am I supposed to get the guy, another tie?" Morgan commented as he lined his stick up with the cue ball.

Morgan struck the white ball with his cue stick, sending it rolling across the table. A solid crack was heard as the cue ball hit the others, scattering them in different directions. One of the striped balls fell into the corner pocket.

"I'd gladly take Hotch," Hudson said as Morgan surveyed the table for his next shot. "I ended up pulling Reid's name. How do you think a one way ticket to Vegas would go over?"

Morgan gave a small laugh as he lined up and called his shot. "Not well," he told his co-worker. "Not to mention, I think everyone would figure out who it was from."

"Everyone eventually figures out who has whose names in these things anyways," Hudson said, as anther striped ball fell into the predicted pocket. "Do they sell muzzles for humans?"

"Yeah, as bondage gear. Not sure that's the kind of message you want to be sending though," Morgan commented.

Hudson gave a little shudder in response to Morgan's comment as the other agent missed the shot. Hudson surveyed the table for an open shot. "Want to switch names?" he asked, before calling a shot on one of the solid colored balls.

"That's against the rules," Morgan said, feigning shock.

"So what, it's not like anyone else has to know," Hudson said, as the ball he was shooting for dropped into the side pocket. "As much as a stiff that Hotch comes off as, shopping for a Christmas gift for him could be fun," he added. Hudson called and started t line up his next shot. "Besides, I can only see me buying a Christmas gift for Reid ending up in me getting into hot water with Gideon, though I suppose sprucing up Reid's wardrobe might be fun."

"I'll switch names with you," Morgan said, as Hudson missed the shot. Though not having to think of something to get Hotch was a nice perk, he had a feeling that not letting Hudson buy a gift for Reid would be the best for all concerned. ~_Especially for Reid_,~ Morgan thought, calling his shot. "Finding something for Reid that he might actually like has got to be easier than shopping for Hotch."

"The only thing I want to buy for Reid is something that will get him out of my life. You don't know how hard it is for me to stop myself from wanting to put my hands around his throat sometimes just to shut him up when he starts going off about whatever it is he's telling us about, trying to remind us just how smart he is and how stupid we are."

"Okay, I will admit his rambling can get a bit annoying at times," Morgan admitted as play went back to Hudson. He had interrupted the younger agent on more than one occasion over the past month, though he had learned to be more discreet about it. No more yelling "shut-up" at him loud enough for the whole bullpen to hear. "However, you're taking things way too personally. Reid isn't trying to make anyone look stupid. I really think his just trying to share information that he finds interesting."

"Like I really want to know the origin of a potato chip," Hudson said, as he hit the cue ball at an awkward angle sending the white ball in a direction that was nowhere near his intended target.

Morgan chuckled thinking of Reid's tangent from earlier that day. Hudson had been eating potato chips when they had walked into the conference room this afternoon upon returning from Catlett. He had mentioned something about wanting fries but that the potato chips were going to have to do for now. That comment had sent Reid into a spiel about how the origin of potato chips was linked with french fries.

Morgan nodded in the direction of the nearby table which held their drinks and a basket of fries that Hudson had ordered. "Your fries aren't too thick, are they?" Morgan asked lightly, referring to what Reid had told them about George Crum having created potato chips when a customer at the restaurant he was working at had complained the fries were too thick.

"Not at all funny. Nor was asking Reid questions and encouraging him this afternoon."

"What? I was genuinely interested this time around," Morgan replied, watching the stripe ball he had hit roll across the table toward the intended pocket.

"You encourage him once and he isn't ever going to get the hint to just keep his mouth shut."

"Yeah, well maybe that isn't the best message to give him. He's finally starting to feel comfortable offering information during our briefings and discussions without encouragement and whether you like him or not, you can't deny that the information he provides us is often useful in solving our cases."

Hudson muttered something that Morgan didn't understand as he lined up his next shot. Not sure he wanted to know what had been said, Morgan didn't ask his friend to repeat himself and instead surveyed the table and tried to figure out the best way to make an attempt at the last striped ball on the table.


	26. Reaching the Holiday Break

"Remind me again what I am doing here at nine thirty on a Saturday morning," Morgan commented from his desk, as he reached for his coffee cup.

"Because we either do this paperwork for the case now or spend Monday doing it while everyone around us is enjoying the office holiday party," Hudson, who was the only other person currently in the bullpen, replied not looking up from the papers in front of him.

"Right. That's a good reason," Morgan said, before taking a swig of his coffee as he leaned back in his chair.

The case in Catlett, Virginia had been wrapped up the evening before. It had been Reid who had suggested that the double homicide at the fifth scene was due to the male victim, Brent Kirk, being unplanned. According to the medical examiner each of the female victims had suffered a slow death, though the method differed between them, while the male victim had simply been shot in the head. This had led them to speculate that the male victim had been one of their UnSubs. When he had started getting cold feet or had wanted to stop, his partner had killed him.

Digging into Kirk's life had led to a connection with each of the other victims, with each victim having a different connect to Kirk. A troubled youth, Kirk had managed to avoid any serious trouble with the law up to this point. He had kept to himself most of the time, the only solid relationship in his life being one with a Daniel Bradley. Bradley had spent several short periods in jail for theft and DUI. There had also been a rape accusation when he was eighteen but the victim had changed her story before the case went to trial. Five years older than Kirk, Bradley had apparently taken the younger man under his wing at the age of seventeen. Constantly at odds with his father, Kirk started spending more and more time on the streets, where he crossed paths with Daniel Bradley. Four years later, Kirk was seen in the small town almost exclusively in the company of Bradley.

It had taken a while for the profilers to locate Bradley, since there was no record of a permanent address after he had moved out of his parent's house at the age of eighteen. Having cut all ties with his family, questioning them had gotten the profilers nowhere. When the team had finally caught up with him, a gun matching that which had been used to kill Brent Kirk on him, they had found out why. Bradley didn't have a place of his own. He had about six different places owned by acquaintances that he crashed at as the mood hit him. Hotch and Reid had been the ones to stumble upon one that he was actually staying at when they had stopped by yesterday evening. Bradley hadn't done much talking, other than a comment about how long it had taken them to locate him. The Virginia State Police had been quick to take the case from there, allowing Gideon and his team to finish off the case before their scheduled holiday leave, leaving all the agents grateful.

Though Gideon had been the one to suggest they come in today and do the paperwork, he had not required it, allowing each team member to make their own decision. The only stipulation being that all of the paperwork for the case had to be completed before they could leave the office on Monday, which was supposed to be an early day for the members of the BAU. Gideon had told them he would be at the office at nine that morning and by this time every one of his agents had arrived except for Reid.

"I thought Reid had said he was going to come in today," Morgan commented, his gaze falling on the empty desk in front of Hudson.

"Wasn't really paying attention to what he said at that point," Hudson replied, still not looking up from his work.

"Maybe I should give him a call, just to make sure everything is okay," Morgan wondered out loud to himself more than to Hudson, as he knew that Hudson wouldn't be concerned with it.

Glancing toward the offices of the team's two most senior agents, Morgan saw that they had both gathered in Gideon's office. Hotch was sitting in a chair across from Gideon and neither agent looked to be concerned.

_~Is he aware of the time or is Hotch just not expecting Reid to come in this morning_, ~ Morgan contemplated, figuring the genius' training agent would know whether to be expecting him or not and what time?

Morgan was still debating if he should ask Hotch about Reid's whereabouts, call the younger agent himself, or not worry about it when he heard the elevator doors slide open, the sound carrying through the otherwise quiet floor. Glancing in that direction it wasn't long before he saw Reid walk through the glass doors.

The youngest member of the BAU was carrying his messenger bag, which looked like it had a footprint on it, and the strap dangling uselessly from one side. His pants and coat appeared to be covered in the slush from the melted snow, and the hat that he normally wore on his head was nowhere to be seen, leaving his hair as wet as his coat. Morgan's guess was that the grey overcast skies that had been present when he had come in had finally decided to open up with some type of precipitation.

Morgan watched as Reid walked the length of the bullpen, a question of what happened on the tip of his tongue. The look on the genius' face though kept him from asking it. When Reid walked by him, Morgan noticed that his back was wet from his shoulders to his feet. By this time, Hudson had looked up too and was staring at Reid the same way that Morgan was. Neither of them got a chance to ask anything though, as another voice spoke up as Reid dropped his bag into his chair.

"What happened to you?" Hotch asked, standing just outside the door to Gideon's office. The question brought the other profiler to the door as well.

Morgan's gaze switched from Reid to the two older agents standing on the catwalk surrounding the bullpen. He found that both men were looking in his and Hudson's direction, an almost accusatory look in their eyes.

"Don't look at me. I've been here since nine and he just walked in," Morgan said quickly, gesturing toward Reid.

"Reid?" Hotch said, switching his gaze back to the team's newest member, as his first question had not been answered.

"I'm having a bad morning," Reid replied, unwrapping the wet purple scarf from around his neck.

"Obviously," Hudson commented sarcastically.

Feeling all eyes still on him, Reid started to expand on his answer. "I got sprayed with slush by a mail truck on my way to the metro station. I just missed the train I intended to take in here. While waiting for the next train, apparently two guys decided that making rude comments about me was an amusing way to pass the time. They finally decided to wait for the train elsewhere, after I took out my badge."

"What were they saying?" Morgan asked.

Reid shook his head. "It isn't important," he replied quickly, as his cheeks flushed a deeper shade of red. "Anyways, leaving the metro stop, the strap of my bag broke halfway up the steps. By the time I made my way back down to retrieve it several people had stepped on it. By the time I got out of the station it was sleeting, and I didn't get far when I slipped on some slush, falling in the process and dropping my cell phone, which ended up in the slush. I don't even know if it still works. I really hate winter," he added, as he draped the wet coat over the back of his chair, revealing a slightly damp shirt underneath.

"So you've said before," Morgan commented lightly, having heard that sentiment more than once during this last case.

"Well, why don't you come work in my office until you warm up a bit," Hotch replied sympathetically, already planning on turning the heat up just a bit in the room. He knew the cold affected Reid more than the rest of them, who were all used to east coast winters, and being wet definitely wasn't helping matters.

With a nod of acknowledgment, Reid gratefully accepted the offer. Retrieving his bag from his chair, and the files on the desk for the current case, which Nichols had placed there earlier, the young genius headed up the steps toward Hotch's office.

"That guy is a trouble magnet," Hudson commented as Hotch pushed the door shut behind him. The grin on his face clearly said he was restraining himself from laughing.

Morgan didn't make a comment. As Hudson went back to his paperwork, the dark-skinned profiler got to his feet and headed for the kitchen area. A few minutes later, a coffee mug in hand, he knocked on Hotch's office door, entering after hearing Hotch's call to 'come in'.

Hotch was sitting at his desk while Reid was sitting on the couch on the one side. He had his paper work spread out on the low table in front of him. Not the ideal working conditions, but as the office was already warmer than its occupant normally kept it, Morgan had a feeling Reid didn't mind his awkward position. The genius' coat, scarf and hat were hanging on the coat rack which had been moved closer to the heat.

"I brought you some coffee," Morgan said, walking toward Reid and placing the mug down in front of him.

"Thank-you," Reid said, looking up at him.

Morgan noticed Reid's cell phone sitting nearby. "How's the cell phone?"

"It's not working. I'm going to have to replace it," Reid replied.

"I'll take you when we're through here," Morgan offered.

"Don't worry about it. I can manage on my own," Reid told him, which was the same answer Hotch had just received to his own offer.

"Come on, my driving isn't that bad and you won't have to worry about what time the trains leave the stations."

"I've got no problem with your driving. I just don't want to inconvenience you. I'm sure you've got other things to do."

"Nope - I've got absolutely no plans today, as I half expected to still be working that case. Have any more excuses I can shoot down?"

Reid glanced up at him. "Look, Morgan, I appreciate the offer but I can replace the cell phone on my own."

"Okay," Morgan said, deciding to back down for now though he wasn't about to give up. As he turned to leave the office, he glanced over at Hotch.

"Thanks for trying," Hotch mouthed silently to him, as he started for the door.

Morgan nodded as he left the office.

It was one o'clock when the profilers left the BAU. Riding down the elevator together, Hotch and Gideon said good-bye to the others as they reached the lobby, heading off in their own directions. Reid wasn't far behind them, though from the slow movements his co-workers had a feeling he was looking forward to heading back outside, especially as it was still sleeting.

Nichols glanced down at his watch. "Anyone want to go grab lunch? I've got a couple of hours to kill before I can pick Evan and Karen up at the birthday party they went to this afternoon."

"Sorry, made plans for this evening and I've still got some shopping to do before hand," Hudson replied. "See ya both on Monday," he said, heading for the front doors.

Morgan shrugged, "sure, why not?" he replied, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Why don't you go convince Reid to join us? He seems to respond better to you and I'll meet you guys there."

Nichols nodded. "Eagle Café?" he asked, as the two of them headed for the entrance.

"Sounds good," Morgan said, as they walked through the doors.

Reid hadn't made it far, as he walked with his head and shoulders bent against the icy wind. As Morgan watched Nichols hurry to catch up with him, Morgan made plans to make a third attempt at offering him a ride to replace the cell phone. He had made the second attempt earlier when the younger agent had first come out of Hotch's office, receiving the same answer as the first time. ~_Maybe with Nichols help, I can get him to accept the offer,~ _he thought as he turned and headed for his own vehicle_._

Parking along the side of The Eagle Café, Morgan headed inside. Asking for a table for three, Morgan let the waitress seat him, and then sat down facing the front door. It wasn't long before Nichols walked in, with Reid right behind him. Whatever the computer specialist had said to him had apparently worked.

As they ate lunch, the three co-workers chatted about their holiday plans. At this point, Morgan had gotten more into the holiday spirit, looking forward to his Monday evening flight out to Chicago. Both he and Nichols were relieved to hear Reid was going to be spending Christmas Eve with the Hotchners.

After paying the bill and leaving the tip, the three profilers got to their feet.

"Reid, how about I take you to get a new phone and then drop you off at your place," Morgan suggested as the three walked toward the front door.

Before Reid could decline the offer, Nichols spoke up.

"That sounds like a good plan. I won't have to worry about you being out there without a phone to call in case something happens, Junior."

"Fine," Reid replied, obviously unable to protest over Nichols reasoning.

Nichols said good-bye to the two of them and heading toward his own car. Morgan pointed in the direction he had parked and then he and Reid started walking in that direction. Glancing at the bag Reid had over his shoulder again, Morgan noticed the broken end of the strap had been knotted. Morgan also noted that Reid kept a hold of the strap with one hand, obviously not confident in the temporary fix.

Morgan still had to go shopping for Reid's Christmas gift. While he had planned on getting the younger agent the true crime book that he had overheard Reid telling Nichols about, the dark-skinned profiler had wanted to get him something else too. Up until now though, Morgan hadn't a clue as to what to get him.

~_After I drop Reid off at home, I'll go brave the crowds at the mall and finish my Christmas shopping_,~ Morgan thought, needing to pick a couple of other gifts up as well.

* * *

_Dear Mom,_

_I hope everything is going well with you. I'm sure the staff members are doing their best to make the holiday festive for everyone, just like they always do. Sorry that I can't make it out there this year. I will call and know I will be thinking of you a lot during this holiday season._

_We exchanged the Secret Santa Gifts at work today. The idea was to find a way to give the person the gift without them knowing who it was from. Most of the gifts appeared on the recipients' desks at various times throughout the day. My gift appeared while I was getting coffee and I have a good idea of who had my name despite the anonymity. I believe it was Morgan. Though I did receive one of the newly released True Crime books I had mentioned wanting to read, there was also a pocket guide for __How To Talk to Anyone, Anywhere at Anytime About Anything.__ I've learned that Morgan likes to interject humor into most things that he does, I think it's a technique for keeping anyone from getting to close to him, and that pocket guide just seems like his way of interjecting humor into a gift exchange. Who knows, I might even be able to put it to some use. Along with the two books, I got a new messenger bag - a great addition as the one I've had since college broke this past Saturday. I had tied the strap that broke on the old bag to get by, but the knot doesn't seem to hold well. Having a new one is much better._

_Getting my gift to Nichols didn't go as smoothly as I would have liked, though. He caught me as I was trying to leave the office. I don't think I ever did tell you what I decided to get him. I had to get his sister, Vanessa, to help me with the project. I had noticed that though Nichols has several pictures of his kids in his office none of them are too recent. Evan looks to be about two years old, and the boy is now seven. Not knowing what else to give him as a gift, I paid for a photographer to take a picture of Evan and Tara together and then one of them with Vanessa and his niece, Karen. I bought frames for the two 5 X 7 photos I had made up. I noticed the pictures displayed in his office next to the older one of his children and wife when I left this evening._

Reid finished telling his mother about the gift exchange by telling her what each member of the team had gotten. He then wrote about the office party that the whole floor had participated in. He also told her about his plans for the next two weeks off from work which for the most part included catching up on some reading, and working on the two articles he was working on for professional journals. Spencer did make sure to tell her that he was planning on spending Christmas Eve with the Hotchners, unable to refuse the invitation that Haley had made in person at the office earlier in the week. She had invited him for dinner and caroling afterwards. As he didn't have any other plans, he had known declining wasn't going to work well. Gideon, who also didn't have any plans to celebrate the holiday with family, would be joining them too.

Satisfied that he had put his mother's mind at ease that he wouldn't be spending the holiday alone, Spencer signed the letter and tucked it into an envelope. He then picked up the other piece of mail that he had received that day. Opening it, he found a Christmas card from the Hendersons, friends of his mother's since before he had been born. Mrs. Henderson made sure she sent him a card every year. It was usually the only card he received but this year he added it to the two other cards sitting on the top shelf of his desk. One was from Haley and Hotch and the other one from Nichols.

Spencer looked at those two cards which meant much more to him than just holiday greetings. Recieving them gave him a sense of belonging to something and even if they were only being nice to him because they worked with him, it was more than what he was used to. He had never been a part of a group that showed interest in him outside of work. Both Hotch and Nichols had done more than that. Reid knew he wouldn't have made it through these last couple of months without their support. He had been ready to call it quits again on a couple of occasions before Nichols had talked him out of it. It had gotten to the point that Nichols just seemed to know when he was starting to feel overwhelmed, and would take him aside and give him a chance to voice his feelings. As he still found going to anyone on his own initiative difficult, Reid appreciated the computer specialist's efforts.

~_I wonder if this is what it feels like to belong to a real family, _~ Spencer wondered as he looked at the two Christmas Cards from his two co-workers.

* * *

It was snowing in Chicago, as the taxi carrying Derek Morgan pulled up in from of his mother's residence. He hadn't been home since accepting the job at the BAU, and as he paid the cab driver and stepped out into the frigid Illinois winter night, Morgan felt a sense of peace come over him. It was nice to be home. With one bag over his shoulder, and another gripped in his left hand, Morgan headed for the front steps.

The door opened, and then Morgan stumbled slightly as his mother threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I was so worried the storm would delay your arrival," Fran Morgan exclaimed.

"Well, it didn't," Morgan replied, as he hugged her back. "Though breathing would be a nice thing to be able to do."

"Sorry," Fran said, finally letting go of her son. She grabbed his arm and started pulling him into the house. "I'm so glad you're here. We've put off putting up the tree so you could help us decorate it."

"You didn't have to do that," Morgan replied, as his mother closed the front door behind him. He placed his bags on the floor so he could take off his gloves and jacket.

"Yes, I did. I don't know how many more Christmases I will get to celebrate with all three of my children gathered together, so when one comes up, I plan on making the most of it," Fran told him, as she reached to take his jacket. "This looks new," Fran said, inspecting the heavy leather jacket as she turned to hang it up in the closet.

"It is. My gift from the team's Secret Santa yesterday. I have a feeling it was Nichols, as he kept making comments all week about my other jacket looking old," Morgan told her. Old or not though, he was sure the guy he had seen walking without a coat on his way home was appreciating the old jacket right about now.

"So, how is work going?" Fran asked.

"Fine. I'm really glad I got into the BAU. I'm enjoying the work and I've never felt as close to a group of co-workers as I do these guys," Morgan replied.

Fran knew how guarded her son was when it came to letting others in and knew he didn't say the words lightly.

"And the new guy you were telling me about, Dr. Reid, how is he fitting in now?" Fran asked.

She never got an answer to her question though as Sarah and Desire, having realized their brother was home, came running into the room, enveloping him in a hug. After greetings were exchanged, the conversation headed into another direction as plans for the last few days before Christmas were made. Sarah and Desire wanted to decorate the tree, and Fran declared they would do just that after Derek sat down and ate something.

* * *

As the plane left the airport in D.C. heading for his home state of New York, Hudson settled back in his seat. He wasn't sure how this visit home was going to go. He hadn't even had plans to go home for Christmas until his mom had called Monday night saying that his Dad wasn't doing well. Hudson wasn't sure how welcomed his presence would be, however, given how things had been when Hudson had left for the BAU in D.C.

A corporate lawyer, John Hudson had always expected his son to follow in his footsteps. Fred Hudson had never had an interest in the law though he had kept law school open as an option as he got his degree in Criminal Justice. Following graduation though, he had crushed his father's dreams by joining the state police force. When his son had told him he was going to the FBI Academy, John Hudson had lectured Fred about how he had the brains and skills to be more than a lowly FBI agent. Joining the BAU had only made matters worse. As John Hudson put it, the BAU wasn't anything more than a bunch of gypsy fortune tellers at a carnival employing a pseudo-science as a way to fool people into thinking they knew what they were talking about. The argument that had ensued between father and son had been heard by neighbors on all sides, and though Fred Hudson had talked to his mother since leaving home, he had not spoken to his father.

Now, though, Hudson knew he needed to go home and try to make amends. Though his dad had never been supportive of the career path he had chosen, deep down Hudson knew his father loved him. He needed to try to clear the air between them and if nothing else, tell his father that he loved him despite their differences. The FBI profiler knew he would never forgive himself if the last words he had spoken to his father were the 'go to hell,' he had flung over his shoulder as he had stormed out of his childhood home, following his father's declaration that if he left for D.C. he would never forgive him.

Trying to forget about his family issues, Hudson took one of the two gifts he had gotten from the office gift exchange out of the backpack he had carried onto the plane with him. He smiled reading the title, _Anger Management for Dummies_. It didn't take much to figure out who would have bought him the book and the electronic day planner. After the conversations he'd had with the unit chief in recent weeks, both about holding his tongue when dealing with local law enforcement and his interactions with Reid, he knew that Gideon felt that he had to work on controlling his anger.

~_Well, Gideon, maybe I'll learn something from this book that will be of use when I talk to my dad_, ~ Hudson thought, as he opened the book and started reading.

* * *

"Just where did that come from?" Haley asked her husband as she walked out of the bathroom, putting in her earrings. She had been expecting to see her husband dressed in one of his many white dress shirts and dull ties. Instead, he was wearing a dark-green dress shirt and was looking in the mirror as he tied a black tie with gold music notes on it. It was definitely a nice change from what she considered his normally dull wardrobe.

"The gift exchange at work. You like it?"

"Yes. My family might think I'm showing up with some new guy though," Haley told him with a smile. They were going to the annual Christmas party that her parents threw every year.

"Maybe I'll just change . . ."

"You'll do no such thing. So who do I have to thank for sprucing up your wardrobe?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a Secret Santa but given the boldness of the tie, I'd have to say either Hudson or Morgan, and since I saw Morgan leaving a gift on Reid's desk, that leaves Hudson," Hotch told her, as he finished his task. He took a good look in the mirror. "It really doesn't look that bad on me, does it?"

"You look great!" Haley told him. "Let's go before we're late."

Allowing his wife to lead him out of his bedroom, Hotch thought about being home for the next two weeks. It was going to be enjoyable, though as he headed off to the holiday party his thoughts switched to two members of his team that didn't have family to celebrate the holiday with - Gideon and Reid. At least he knew they wouldn't be alone on Christmas Eve, and Reid was having Christmas dinner with Nichols and his family.

He wasn't worried about Gideon. The older profiler would have no problem occupying his time, though Hotch knew it was this time of year that he missed his son, whom he hadn't talked to in a few years, the most. ~_He probably spent today putting together that model train I bought him for the gift exchange_, ~ Hotch thought as he put on his winter coat.

It was more Reid that Hotch was worried about. As he followed Haley out to the car, he found himself wondering what Reid was up to. Climbing behind the driver's wheel Hotch decided he would call the young agent in the morning and try to get him to come over before dinner. He and Haley always waited until Christmas Eve to decorate their tree so perhaps he could convince Reid to help them with that this year. For now though, he planned on enjoying the party and the time with his wife.


	27. Leave Interrupted

"I thought this case didn't go to trail for two weeks," Haley Hotchner said, as she stood in her bedroom watching her husband put a few suits into a garment bag.

"It wasn't supposed to. However, Duran's lawyer has somehow managed to get the appeal trial moved up, and it's starting on the second. That only gives us a day to prepare by the time I make it out to Seattle. I don't like this any more than you do, but if I don't testify during the appeals Duran could very well walk. I'm sorry," Hotch told his wife as he zipped the garment bag up.

As Aaron Hotchner tossed the garment bag onto the bed next to his go-bag, he reached for the tie he had picked out for the day. Slipping it around his neck he started to tie it as his cell pone rang. Being close to where the phone sat on the bedside table, Haley picked it up and answered it.

"It's Gideon," she said, shortly later, holding the phone out to her husband.

Finishing with the tie as he crossed the short distance to his wife, Hotch took the phone from her. "Hi, Jason. I was just about to call you," Hotch said as he watched his wife turn and stalk out of the room. He understood his wife's disappointment at the interruption to their New Year's plans but he had no control over it. The best he could do was to make it up to her when he returned from Seattle.

"Haley didn't sound too happy to hear my voice."

"It's not you she's unhappy with. I just got summoned to Seattle. The date of Duran's appeal trial has been moved up to January 2nd. I'm getting ready to head out there now."

"Well, I guess that means you won't be coming to Alabama with us then."

"A case came in?"

"Yeah. Alabama State Police believe they now have four crimes in four separate jurisdictions that are the work of the same killer. The last set of victims were all high school students, which has got the area in an uproar, which is why they want us down there. We can handle this one case without you though. Concentrate on your testimony for that trial. Duran tortured and raped four freshman college students out there, killing one. The last thing we want to happen is for him to walk on a technicality. Any clue as to why the trial was bumped up?"

"My guess is that Duran's lawyer is trying to catch the prosecution off guard. Hopefully that doesn't happen," Hotch replied as he juggled the phone in order to put his suit jacket on.

"What about Reid? Should I take him with me or leave him here. Technically, the team is still on the holiday stand down for the remainder of the week and you are his probationary agent."

"Do you think he could be of help in the case, Jason?" Hotch asked as he slung the strap of his go-bag over one shoulder and picked up the garment bag.

"I think so. What we know right now is that we've got four different crime scenes spread out in different towns in the area east of Guntersville Lake. The most recent happened last night; five high school girls are dead and one boy in the hospital. The only thing that appears to be linking them together at this point is that all the responding officers have reported that the crime scenes have all felt staged."

"Staged in what way?"

"That's what we need to figure out. With each crime site in a different jurisdiction, State Cops have requested our help. I think they can use all the help we can give them."

"You should probably take Reid down to Alabama with you then," Hotch said. "He'd probably just feel left out and be bored being left behind anyway. Not to mention, as it doesn't appear that I'll be back before the holiday break is over, he's going to be unsupervised as it is. If he's with the team, at least you guys can keep an eye on him. Morgan seems to be working well with him now, and Nichols has always worked well with him. I think he'll be fine on one case without me."

"Okay. Stay in touch and keep me informed on how things are going out in Seattle."

"I will and you do likewise. I may not be down there with you guys but I'm here if you need to bounce ideas off me," Hotch said before ending the call with the BAU unit chief.

Hotch found Haley in the kitchen, slicing eggs in half for the deviled eggs she was taking to her sister's New Year's Eve party that night.

"I'll call you as soon as I get out there," Hotch told her, as he crossed the kitchen and came to a stop behind her.

Haley stopped what she was doing, and placed the knife down on the cutting board. She turned to face her husband, back up against the counter top.

"Stay safe," she told him, the earlier annoyance at him leaving gone now. Instead, Hotch only saw disappointment in her eyes. "I know you'd rather be here with me than out in Seattle."

"I'll be home as soon as the trial is over with," Hotch told her, as she slipped her arms around him.

"I'll be counting the minutes," she told him, as she leaned in for a kiss.

After about a minute, the two finally broke away from each other. "I love you," Hotch told his wife, as he started heading toward the front door.

"Love you too," Haley called, waiting until she heard the front door close behind her husband before turning back to the eggs she had been preparing.

* * *

Morgan drummed his fingers on the back of the seat in front of him, as he impatiently waited for his turn to disembark. His flight should have been landing about the same time that Gideon expected to arrive at Huntsville International Airport. Gideon's phone call had come to him as he had been heading to the airport in Chicago to fly home. Gideon hadn't given him many details, only told him that the last couple days of their leave had been cancelled and that he was to meet the team in Alabama. The last conversation he'd had with the unit chief before getting on the plane in Chicago indicated that his flight should be arriving about the same time as the plane from the D.C. area.

Finally, there was a break in the line of people leaving the plane, and Morgan stepped into the aisle. Following the person in front of him, he was soon leaving the plane and making his way into the airport. As soon as he stepped through the doorway, he spotted Nichols sitting in one of the chairs of the gate and headed in his direction.

"Been waiting long?" Morgan asked, as Nichols got to his feet seeing his approach.

Nichols shook his head. "Maybe five minutes. Gideon, Reid and I just got here ourselves."

"Just Gideon and Reid?"

Nichols nodded again. "Hotch won't be joining us. He got called out to Seattle for a case he was involved in when he worked out there. Hudson is flying in from New York. His flight should be landing in about," the agent looked at his watch, "thirty-five minutes."

"New York? He went home?" Morgan asked, surprised. Last he knew, Hudson had been planing on spending the holiday break in D.C. due to the strained relationship with his father.

"Yeah. Apparently he changed his mind about his holiday plans," Nichols said, having gotten the text from Hudson about his change in plans on Monday evening. As the computer tech for the team, he was responsible for making sure the whereabouts of each team member was up to date in the bureau's system, in case an emergency recall, like this one, was necessary. "I didn't ask questions. Do you have any other bags?"

"Yeah, one other one." Morgan told him, as the two agents started to walk away from the gate. They followed the signs pointing to the baggage claim area.

"Gideon and Reid are meeting with the agents from the Birmingham field office that brought a couple of SUVs up this way for our use during this case."

"What exactly does this case involve?"

"Gideon wants to bring you and Hudson up to date at the same time. I'll fill you both in on the details on our way to the most recent crime scene. Gideon's going to take Reid to the station in Abbottsville, which is the most centralized location for the four crime scenes, and get set up and start working victimology and the geographical profile."

"Centralized. The crime scenes are spread out then."

Nichols nodded. "Four crime scenes, four separate jurisdictions. Should be fun."

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a twisted sense of what is fun?" Morgan replied.

"I do believe that's a requirement for this job," Nichols fired back, without missing a beat.

Morgan smiled as the two agents continued walking. After Morgan had retrieved his second bag, they joined up with Gideon and Reid in front of the airport. The agents from the Birmingham office were just getting into their own vehicle to head back, when Nichols and Morgan stepped outside. The two pairs of federal agents walked toward one another, meeting half way. Standing a few feet from one another, Gideon held a set of keys out to Morgan.

"The two of you wait for Hudson's flight, and then head to the crime scene at Braxton High School to check out the crime scene from last night. Nichols, you have the name of the detective in charge of that investigation, right?"

"Yeah, Boss. I'll give him a call when we're on the road and I can give him an estimate time of arrival."

"Good. Nichols has the case files, he'll bring you and Hudson up to speed on the way," Gideon said, his gaze focused on Morgan now. "I'll take Reid and start getting things set up there. We've got four crime scenes, spread out over a period of three weeks, and in four jurisdictions. We need to start getting into this guys head and figure out what his next move is going to be."

"Four murders and we're just now getting called in? What took them so long?"

"I said four crime scenes, but there have been nine people killed and one from the attack yesterday evening is in critical condition in the hospital, police haven't been able to interview him yet. As for the delay in calling us in, the crimes were all spread out and the local police didn't make a connection between them. It was actually the Alabama State officers called to the high school yesterday that started getting suspicious that the murders might be the same perpetrator," Gideon replied.

"So we're dealing with an UnSub smart enough to spread out his crimes to throw off investigators?"

"Possibly," Reid said quietly, from where he stood, slightly behind Gideon. All three federal agents looked toward him. "The staging at each crime scene indicates that the UnSub spent a good length of time carrying out the murders. It could just be that they're spread out so that he can find the exact locations that he has in mind for his crimes."

"Either way, this guy is smart," Nichols said. "He's going to be hard to get ahead of."

"But that is exactly what we have to do, so let's get started," Gideon told his agents. "Call me as soon as you're through at the most recent crime scene," he added looking at both Nichols and Morgan briefly.

"You got it, Boss," Nichols told him.

As Gideon and Reid headed for one of the SUVs, Morgan headed for the second one to deposit his bags. Once that was done, the two federal agents headed back inside to check on the most recent information for their teammate's flight. Morgan was anxious for Hudson to join them to get started on this case. As always, they were racing against the clock to find the UnSub before he claimed the life of anyone else.

* * *

At the Abbottsville police station, SSA Jason Gideon stuck the pushpin through the photo of a little boy in a yellow rain jacket, lying on the side of the street near a drain. George Saunders, only eight years old, had been this UnSub's third victim. He had been stabbed with a knife, the weapon still protruding from the victim's body when the police had arrived on the scene. Gideon shook his head, unable to fathom why someone would do such an act, let alone how they could attack a child in such a manner.

At the table in the room, SA Reid had a map of the area surrounding Guntersville Lake spread out. The young agent was plotting the location of each crime site on the map, looking for any possible pattern in where the crime scenes had been committed as he created the geographical profile. With four crime sites, they should have enough data to pick up a pattern if there was one or to determine if the guy had a comfort zone. Given the disparity in the actual murders, and the seemingly lacking a connection between them, the location of the crime scenes might be the only thing they could go off of.

As Gideon finished putting the last of the crime scene photos onto the board, he took a step back and surveyed them once more. The first murder had taken place at a hotel right on the banks of the Guntersville Lake, the Lake Overlook Hotel. A mother and son, Wendy and Daniel Brown, had been murdered in room 217 of the hotel. Cause of death in both cases had been blunt force trauma. Judging from the bloody Roque mallet found in the room, the injuries had been inflicted with that.

The third victim, George Saunders, had been found three blocks from the local elementary school of the town 10 miles northeast of where the Lake Overlook Hotel was located. The school had been having a carnival, hosted by the middle school's Band Parent's Association as a fund raiser. George had been at the carnival with his older brother and parents when he had disappeared. One of his classmates had said he saw George with a clown, and as far as could be determined, that was the last time anyone had seen him until he was found murdered three blocks away. His parents had said the rain slicker he was found in was not his, nor had it been raining at all that day.

The third site was on the west banks of Guntersville Lake, further south from the others. The body of Rachel Willis, who had been shot to death, had been found by an open grave in a cemetery. Near her, fake tombstones had been set up. The tombstones had dates, poems, and names that were typically associated with pets, like Spot, Rover, and Fido as well as other names. From the poems it seemed that each tombstone was supposed to represent the burial of a pet. The 'tombstone' with the most recent date on it was for a cat named Church.

Gideon turned from the board, ready to address Reid when Sheriff Tim Connelley, walked into the room.

"I just received the medical examiner's report on the five girls killed at the school from the Braxton police. They were all poisoned. Apparently the poison came from the juice the girls had been drinking while decorating the gymnasium for the New Year's dance that was supposed to take place tonight."

"What about the boy?"

"Tommy Klines was hit over the head with something blunt several times. He still hasn't regained consciousness."

"The blunt force trauma to the head appears to be the only commonality between in of the MO's in all four crime scenes," Gideon said, as much to himself as to the other two in the room.

"Why physically attack the boy, presumably the strongest of the six victims, and poison the girls?" the sheriff asked.

"Could be intentional, part of the UnSub's signature. Being able to physically overpower the one person he sees as a potential threat could make him feel good about himself. Or it could have been that his plan hadn't gone as he planned and he had to improvise."

"And how do you determine what really happened?"

"We need to put ourselves in the UnSub's mind. Figure out what makes him tick. That's what our agents at the high school are doing now," Gideon told him, as he turned back to the board. "So, this UnSub has so far beaten two people to death with a blunt object, stabbed one with a knife, shot another one and now poisoned five and injured one person with a method that he has previously killed with."

"You think he left Tommy Klines alive on purpose?" Reid asked, looking up from the map.

"Possibly. He's killed all his other previous victims, why leave one alive at this point?"

"Maybe he thought he had killed him?" Reid ventured. "Or maybe he was interrupted by something?"

"The bodies weren't found until several hours after they were killed," Sheriff Connelley supplied. "The parents started to get concerned when their kids hadn't come home from going to decorate the gym. One of the fathers actually found the bodies when he went to check the school for his daughter."

"Okay, let's put the motives behind this most recent attack go for now until we hear back from Nichols and the others. Hopefully, the crime scene will help fill in some of the details. For now let's take a look at the victimology."

"There's nothing to link the victims together," Reid said, gesturing toward the board with one hand. "He's killed a mother and her son, an eight-year-old boy, a woman in her early twenties and now five teenagers. The UnSub is all over the place with his victims."

"Not quite," Gideon said. "Who's missing?" he asked, placing his hands on the back of the chair tucked in under the end of the table closest to him. He looked at the younger agent, waiting for Reid to answer the question.

With a puzzled but intuitive look on his face, Reid let his gaze drift from the Unit Chief to the board, trying to make the connection that Gideon already appeared to have made. As he looked at the pictures of the victims on the board and thought about the most current victims that hadn't yet been added, the realization came to him.

"There are no male victim's over the age of eighteen."

"Exactly," Gideon said. "The question is why? Is the UnSub simply unable to physically take on grown men because of his own stature or is it something else? If he was randomly killing whoever he happened by when the mood struck him, chances are there would be at least one male victim by now. These people were chosen for a reason. The question is what is that reason?"

* * *

Reaching Braxton High School, Morgan parked the SUV in front of the school behind the Braxton police cruiser. In front of the entrance, a lone uniformed officer waited, arms crossed in front of him. Nichols, Morgan and Hudson all climbed from the vehicle. Letting Nichols take the lead, Morgan fell into step beside Hudson.

"What made you suddenly decide to go home?" Morgan asked quietly as they walked toward the waiting officer. It was his first opportunity to pose the question.

"My mother called and told me my father was in the hospital. I decided it was time to go home and at least attempt to clear the air between us."

"And did you?"

"We talked and both apologized. He still doesn't think much of this job but we've decided to respectfully agree to disagree on that topic. It feels good to at least be on speaking terms once again."

"How's your father doing?"

"He's still in the hospital. Complications due to CHF."

"Sorry, man," Morgan said with genuine sympathy as he let his hand come to rest on Hudson's shoulder.

"Thanks," Hudson replied, the conversation ending as they joined Nichols and the local officer.

Nichols handled the introductions and then the Braxton police officer turned toward the school. Moving the crime scene tape that was across the front door, the officer led them into the building and down the hallway. Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor, sending a slight chill up Morgan's spine. ~_A school should not be this empty, _~ the profiler thought as he followed Nichols and the officer toward the school's gym.

The first indication that something was wrong within the school came as they approached the doors to the gym. A yellow tag with the number one was sitting on the floor, next to the outline of the body. A now dried puddle of red substance covered the floor next to one of the doors and on the far side of the corridor, a dented metal bucket lay against the wall.

"Other than removing the bodies and unchain the doors to get into the gymnasium, everything has been left exactly how we found it," the officer told the agents as he leads them toward the gymnasium doors. "We sent some of the red substance to be analyzed, and though we don't have the results back we do know it's blood of some sort. This is where the boy, Tommy Klines was found," he added gesturing to the chalk outline.

"Which way was he facing?" Nichols asked, as he and his teammates surveyed the scene.

"He was found lying with his back toward the gym," the officer replied. "Trauma was to the back of the skull so he was definitely hit from behind."

"So, the UnSub most likely hit Tommy as he was leaving the gymnasium," Nichols said walking toward the doors and standing in front of them with his back toward the room as if he had just come through them. "I'm leaving the gym, there's someone waiting out here for me, but I don't see him. Why?"

"Because you're focused on something else," Hudson replied. "If your friends are sick in the gym and your going for help, you're not going to take notice of your surroundings. The only thing you're focused on is getting help."

"Whatever that red substance is on the floor, it probably started out in this bucket," Morgan said, from where he was now kneeling next to the bucket, having peered inside of it. "The UnSub probably dumped it when he realized he was going to need a weapon."

"So, he was planning on the poison taking care of his victims inside but for some reason Tommy didn't take the poison. The UnSub is forced to improvise but if he planned on killing them all through the poison why even hang around here at all?" Nichols postulated, letting his gaze move from Morgan to Hudson as he spoke.

"He wanted to see the results of his handiwork," Hudson suggested. "There must have been something else that this guy needed to do other than just killing his victims."

"Oh there was evidence that this guy hung around after the attack on Tommy Klines," the Braxton police officer told them, with a nod toward the gym.

"What do you mean?"

"I think it would be better if I showed you," the officer said, as he headed toward the door Nichols was not standing in front of. One by one the profilers followed him into the gymnasium.


	28. The Plot Thickens

"_The UnSub covered the girl's body with some kind of substance, my guess would be some kind of blood, after they had died from the poison,"_ Nichols informed Gideon as they spoke over the cell phone. _"There are four buckets in the gymnasium, which the UnSub poured the contents of over each of the girls, before leaving. Other than that there was no other obvious indication that he did anything to the victims after they were dead."_

"We just got the medical examiner's report here at the station. The UnSub didn't violate the bodies in any way," Gideon responded.

"_So the UnSub hung around simply for the purpose of dumping something over the bodies," _Morgan ventured.

"Pig's blood," Gideon told him.

"_What?_"

"The blood at the scene as been identified as pig's blood," Gideon clarified. Across the table from him he saw Reid's thoughtful expression. He had already learned what that look meant and knew that the young agent was trying to figure something out in his head. Giving him time to puzzle out whatever it was that had caught his interest, the BAU Unit Chief didn't say anything to disturb him.

"_This scene certainly has the feel as if he took the time to stage it in a certain way," _Nichols said. _"The UnSub kills the victims but then goes out of his way to pour pigs' blood and chain the gymnasium doors shut but for what reason?"_

Across the table from Gideon, Reid got to his feet and walked toward the board where the crime scene photos and pictures of the victims hung. He stood in front of it, staring at it while still lost in thought.

"_And it looks like he wanted to set the place on fire but got disrupted,_" Hudson could be heard saying, his voice getting louder as he talked, as if he was coming closer to the phone. _"I just found gasoline and a box of kitchen matches stashed in the boy's bathroom across from the gymnasium_."

"_This guy is all over the place, Gideon. It doesn't make any sense_," Morgan said. "_He keeps killing in a different way and it's obvious he spends time setting the scene after the murders but why? Are there any commonalities between the victims?_"

"No, not that we can find. It doesn't appear that any of the victims from the different crime scenes knew one another or that their paths ever cross. He's killed both genders and victims of different ages. The one thing we did notice is that he has yet to kill any male above the age of eighteen."

"_Guess the four of us are all safe then,_" Hudson quipped.

"I don't think he knows the victims," Reid said from where he stood. Turning from the board, he continued. "I think it's the circumstances and the scene that are important to him and he chooses these people because they're the first ones he comes across that fit his need."

"_But there are no commonalities between the scenes either,_" Morgan countered._ "So far he's killed at a hotel, left a body in the street, at a cemetery and has now killed at a school."_

"I know the locales are all over the place but they do have something in common," Reid protested, suddenly wondering if he should even bother continuing. He was starting to think his theory sounded rally out there and could hear Hudson's ridicule in his mind already. His gaze drifted to Gideon, who nodded slightly, encouraging him to continue. "All the crime scenes have elements from a particular Stephen King novel."

"_You've got to be kidding me,_" Morgan said skeptically, instantly regretting the choice of words. As out there as it sounded, the people they chased tended to be lost in their own little worlds at times, and Morgan had learned even the far-fetched theories sometimes were true in this line of work.

Reid bit his lower lip, taking Morgan's reaction as a rebuke. He had braced himself for a reaction like that from Hudson, but somehow, hearing Morgan say the words made it worse.

Before Gideon could say something to encourage Reid to continue, Hudson spoke up.

"_Yeah, this scene here could definitely remind me of the end scene from the novel __Carrie,__" _Hudson commented. _"The pig's blood covering the bodies, the boy knocked unconscious by the bucket, locking the gymnasium doors are all elements from the climax of the story. Carrie even sets fire to the gym, which apparently the UnSub intended to do."_

"_You mean you have actually read a novel without it being required reading?_" Nichols asked.

"_No, actually I saw the movie but from what I hear, it wasn't too far off the novel,_" Hudson replied, drawing a laugh from both Nichols and Morgan.

"_Okay, so if this crime scene represents that novel, what about the other ones, Reid?_" Morgan asked.

"Well, the crime scene before this current was probably supposed to represent Pet Sematary. You have the tombstones with the pet's names and the poems on them. The cat that belonged to the family that was the focus of the novel was called Church, which was on one of the tombstones the UnSub created. The victim also shares the first name with the wife of the main character of the book, who is killed at the end of the novel. The murder before that, is representative of the book, It. The evil force in the novel often takes the form of a clown when it appears to the main characters in the book, and one of the characters little brother is killed by It at the beginning of the novel, while out playing wearing a yellow rain jacket. The first crime scene, has elements from The Shining. That novel is set at the Overlook Hotel, noticed the overlap in the name where the crime takes place, the Lake Overlook Hotel. The little boy, Danny, is warned to stay away from room 217 in the novel, the same room in which Wendy and Daniel Brown were killed in at the Lake Overlook, which coincidently Wendy is the name of Danny's mother in the novel and Danny is a common nickname for Daniel. Though Wendy and Danny aren't killed in the book, Wendy is attacked by her husband, who is possessed by the hotel, with a roque mallet and the word Redrum, which was written on the mirror at the crime scene is used throughout the book, though the word is actually murder backwards as if its being read in a mirror."

"_Didn't take you as the type to be into horror novels, Junior_," Nichols commented.

"I'm not really. A friend of mine was really into Stephen King and insisted that I needed to read some of the books. I think he was just trying to scare me, honestly," Reid replied.

"So, we've discovered the link between the murders," Gideon said. "Now we've got to figure out what kind of person would be carrying out his fantasies in this manner. Are the three of you about done there?"

"_Yeah, Boss. I think we've learned all we're going to here,_" Nichols replied.

"Then get back here so we can start figuring this out. I want to find this guy before he strikes again."

"_On our way, Boss,_" Nichols replied before ending the call.

Gideon turned to Reid. "I want you to start researching King's novels. Let's get a list of all of them and a plot summary. We can probably eliminate those he has already used and perhaps get an idea of where he may strike next using information from the novels. To catch this guy, we're going to have to try to think like him and find the places in the area where he can carry out his scenarios."

Reid nodded, and pulled out the chair he was standing next to. Sitting down, he pulled out the bureau laptop they had brought along and opened it up, to start on the task the unit chief had given him.

* * *

Sitting in his dark green, Ford pick-up, the man sat silently drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. The hardest part was always waiting for the curtain to go up or the call for action. When he had first started acting back in middle school, in his school's drama club, he had figured that it was only adrenaline from the excitement of it being his first time on stage and that eventually the anticipation of the show beginning would go away. It never did though. It was always there, that mixture of excitement, anxiousness and fear as you waited to see how your audience, in whatever form it may take on at the time, would receive your art that you put so much time into preparing. That was what acting was after all, an art that came from within. A part of yourself that you laid bare for people to see and judge.

And people could be harsh critics at times, as he had found out time after time. It was seldom that pure geniuses in the art of acting were fully appreciated for what they did. He knew he was good. That his talent surpassed all those who had gotten parts that should have been his. It even surpassed that of those fools the school hired as professors at the school he had gone to for two semesters. They were just to blind to see how truly talented he really was or jealous that they didn't have his talent. That was the only reason he had received failing grades. Besides, who needed them anyway! He didn't need some degree to validate how good he was. His talent would do that. Eventually he would get the break he deserved and until then he needed to practice.

~_After all, 'the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players'*, and my break could come at any time, ~_ he thought, as he watched the house two doors down and across the street, waiting for his next supporting actress to come out.

He had spent hours driving around neighborhoods, looking for the right car. He had finally found the one he was looking for in the Shadyside Apartment complex, ten miles from here - a 1958 red and white Plymouth Fury. He had been willing to settle for any Fury, knowing that finding a car matching the exact color and year in the Guntersville Lake area, though it covered quite a bit of ground, would be too much to hope for. The elation he had felt on spotting this car had made up for the frustrations he had been having searching for pigs' blood at the time, as he had been setting the stage for the last scene when he had spotted the car. He had taken the time to follow the car that night. Had found out where its owner lived and taken down the license plate number.

The last few days had been spent planning for both of these acting exercises. Checking into the license plate number of the Fury, had told him for sure that its owner was meant to help him in this scene. Christine Levenworth had become the owner of the Fury eight months ago. It wasn't hard to start associating the owner's name with the car, and thus completing the theatrical scene. Following Christine last night had revealed to him the perfect place to carry out this scene provided that she took the same route home from this house as she had last night. If she didn't, well then he could be patient. All the other pieces had fallen into place. He now wanted to act out his scene on that particular street. Another one wouldn't do.

He could afford to wait. He hadn't thought out his next scene yet, as he was debating on two different novels. The actor in him was waiting for inspiration to strike. As that hadn't happened yet, he was in no rush to get this over with. If the opportunity presented itself tonight, he would take it. If it didn't, well there were other days. With no other pressing matters to attend to, he could take the time to keep an eye on Christine. As the street was only a few blocks from her apartment complex, he knew it wouldn't be long until she found herself alone on that street with him.

The man in the pickup truck continued to drum his fingers on the steering wheel, as he kept his quarry in sight. He would show all his critics just how wrong they were. Silence all those who said he didn't have what it took to be a big time actor. Everyone who had passed him over for a part he had wanted ever since he had started acting. He knew he was meant to be a star. It was his destiny.

* * *

"This is impossible," Morgan said in frustration as Hudson added two more spots to their map of possible places the UnSub might use to carry out his next murder. He tossed the stack of paper on which Reid had written notes about Stephen King novels, from which they were working from. "Look how many spots we have on the map already and we haven't even gone through all the possible books he has to choose from."

Gideon and Hudson both took a moment to survey the map. Nichols, busy searching backgrounds on people with interest in the theatrical arts in the area, didn't look up from his computer screen. Given the time he was taking at the crime scenes to set the stage, they figured that their UnSub had some kind of connection to acting. He was obviously lost in his own little world, and something had recently set him off. Nichols was currently searching for people who would fit their profile, and was surprised at how many candidates he had turned up. Reid didn't glance up at the map either. The youngest profiler had gotten a hold of every Stephen Kind novel ever written and was busy going through them, in case a little detail that wasn't in the plot summaries, he had found online, might somehow prove useful.

Morgan placed both elbows on the table and lowered his head into his hands, closing his eyes for a few moments. He wasn't even sure he wanted to know what time it was.

"Are you actually reading those things?" Hudson asked, causing Morgan to look up.

Glancing in Reid's direction he saw that the younger agent had stopped his reading, and was looking at Hudson. Morgan also noticed he was about halfway through the book in his hands, and Morgan could have sworn he had picked up a new book not too long ago.

"Yes," Reid replied evenly. "I've been timed at a reading speed of 20,000 words per minute."

Morgan noticed he said it as if he was quoting any other statistic that he might randomly deem useful in a situation. There was no hint of boasting about it, even though Morgan couldn't even imagine being able to read that fast.

"Must be nice," Hudson muttered, sarcastically as he leaned back in his chair. As he noticed the unit chief looking directly at him, Hudson wisely chose to refrain from further comment.

"Are you having any luck narrowing down potential suspects?" Gideon asked, changing his gaze from Hudson to Nichols.

The computer tech finally looked away from the computer screen and toward the unit chief before addressing him. "Let's just say that I'm starting to understand where the term starving artists came from. The list of people interested in the theater or acting in the surrounding area is substantial. Of course, our profile eliminates the females, but there are still quite a few, many who work odd jobs or several low-paying part time jobs to pay the bills. I'm also looking at acting programs nation wide for people from this part of Alabama, who flunked out. Could be our UnSub feels rejected and is out to prove himself? There is only one thing I'm sure about right now," Nichols said, holding Gideon's gaze.

"And that would be?"

"The only way this could possibly be worse is if this case was taking place in the Los Angeles area."

"Let's be thankful for that at least," Gideon agreed, glancing up at the clock. The hands were now approaching eleven o'clock at night. Eleven o'clock on New Years Eve. He knew this was not how his agents had planned to ring in the new year. However, it wasn't the first time they had spent this holiday working on a case and the unit chief knew that it wouldn't be the last. Though they seemed to have made little progress, they had been at this for quite awhile. Looking around the room, he could clearly see the signs of exhaustion and frustration on his agents' faces. He knew what decision he needed to make no matter how anxious he was to get ahead of this guy. "Let's call it a night, get some sleep and pick this up in the morning," Gideon told them.

Morgan and Hudson both stuffed papers they had into a folder before getting to their feet. Reid, who hadn't yet gone back to the book he had been reading, since Hudson's comment, tore a piece of paper off his notepad and placed it in the book. Closing it, he placed the book on the table, and then reached up with one hand and removed the glasses, which he had replaced his contacts with a couple of hours ago. With his other hand, he reached up and rubbed his eyes, as beside him, Nichols shut down his computer.

It wasn't long before the five FBI agents were ready to leave the station and head to their hotel. Other than Nichols, who had gone over and checked them all in earlier in the evening, none of them had even seen the building yet, but nothing could be a more welcomed sight for the weary profilers who headed toward the main entrance of the Abbottsville police station. Before they reached the doors however, one of the officers on duty addressed the BAU unit chief.

"Agent Gideon," the officer at the desk monitoring radio traffic called out. He waited for the FBI agent to look in his direction before continuing. "You said you wanted to be notified of any murders in the area," the officer said. Gideon nodded his agreement. With the MO of this UnSub all over the charts, the strikes in different jurisdictions, and the signature hard to identify, Gideon knew he couldn't rely on the local law enforcement personnel to be able to link a crime scene with their UnSub with a high degree of accuracy. Though he had known it would mean sifting through some incidents that had nothing to do with this case that was the better alternative to missing something. "The state police got called to a scene in the next town over. A woman found stabbed to death in her car."

"The novel Christine is about a possessed car," Reid supplied, standing just behind Gideon.

Gideon nodded. "We'll check it out. What's the location?"

The police officer gave Gideon the information and then he turned to his team. There was no need for all of them to head off on what could pan out to be an unconnected murder. Gideon knew Nichols would end up putting in some more hours of research once in his hotel room whether he went on this call or not, which meant the team's computer specialist's time would probably be better spent heading right for the hotel.

Reid knew the details of the novels related to this case better than any of them at this point. Though Gideon was uneasy about taking the young agent to such a fresh crime scene, Gideon knew Reid would make connections between details at the crime scene and the novel before any of the rest of them. He was going to have to take the chance that Reid would be able to deal with this aspect of the job at least long enough for them to check out the crime scene_. ~I'll just have to be read to play psychologist afterward, ~_ Gideon thought, not for the first time thankful for the Master's degree that he held in psychology.

That left Hudson and Morgan. He wanted another pair of experienced eyes at the scene with him. As he didn't feel like dealing with Hudson's attitude toward Reid any more right now, the decision between the two was an easy one to make.

"Nichols, Hudson, I want the two of you to head to the hotel. There's no need for all of us to go on what may turn out to have nothing to do with our case. Morgan, Reid and I will drive out and check out the scene," Gideon said. "We'll meet in the hotel lobby at eight o'clock tomorrow morning and let you know what we find out."

The two agents nodded their ascent, both to some degree grateful to be left out just this once. It had been a long day for all of them, and going to the hotel definitely sounded better to them than heading to a crime scene. Nichols held his hand out to Morgan, who deposited the key to the SUV the three of them had used earlier into his hand.

"Who said you get to drive?"

"I did and as I'm older, have seniority on you, am better looking, and currently have the keys, there isn't much you can do about it," Nichols informed him, as he turned and continued toward the entrance.

Hudson followed, and his light-hearted reply wasn't caught by the three agents left behind as the two reached the door. Gideon shook his head, even as he looked at the two agents remaining with him. Unlike their two colleagues, joking around was probably the last thing on their minds. Morgan had a look of grim determination on his face. This might not be the way he had planned on ending his day, but it was his job. Reid on the other hand looked liked he would rather be anywhere else then there right now. Gideon could only hope the young agent could hold it together at the crime scene.

"Let's go," Gideon told them, as he started walking toward the door. Morgan followed immediately, and a couple of steps behind him, Reid trailed after his two teammates.

*a phrase from William Shakespeare's play, _As You Like It._


	29. Realization

The lights of police cars, both marked and unmarked, and media vans could be seen as soon as Gideon turned the black government-owned SUV onto LeBay Street. Flashbulbs went off in the dark night as both news and crime scene photographers snapped their pictures. Gawkers from nearby homes, gathered near the yellow crime scene tape, trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on.

Pulling the vehicle over to the side of the road not far from the gathering of people, Gideon turned the SUV off and withdrew the key. As of yet, nobody had noticed the arrival of another vehicle on the site.

"Let's get this over with," Gideon said to his two teammates. He reached for the door handle but stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. Looking back, he saw that it was Morgan who had stopped him.

Morgan glanced over his shoulder, watching Reid get out of the vehicle. As the younger agent closed the door, he turned back to meet Gideon's questioning gaze. "Are you sure this is the best idea? I've noticed you and Hotch have been trying to avoid sending him to fresh crime scenes, and now you're bringing him to this? We have no idea what we are walking into here."

"I'm aware of that," Gideon replied. "I realize this isn't the best situation, but Reid knows the details of the novels. If this is one of our UnSub's scenes, he's going to pick up the details of the signature before either of us."

Morgan nodded not able to provide a logical argument for Gideon's statement. Without another word passing between them, the two FBI agents climbed from the car. As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, Morgan cast a glance in Reid's direction. The younger profiler was standing with his hands stuffed into the pockets of the FBI jacket, which he wore over the sweater and long-sleeved shirt he had already been wearing. Though the look on his face told Morgan the younger man wasn't looking forward to the task ahead of them, the dark-skinned profiler also saw the determination Reid's eyes.

_~I've got to give the kid points for that at least, ~ _Morgan thought, as he shut the door of the SUV and started following Gideon to the crime scene. As they walked closer, people started to take notice of their arrival. Given that both Gideon and Reid were wearing jackets, with FBI emblazoned on the back, Morgan knew it wouldn't take too long for people to realize they were more than just curious onlookers. Slowing his steps some, Morgan let Reid, who had been following them, catch up to him.

"If the media starts calling out questions to us, let Gideon do the talking," Morgan advised the younger agent, who nodded seriously. "If a reporter puts a microphone in front of your face, reply 'no comment' and keep walking."

Reid nodded, his gaze taking in the crowd of people gathered around the taped off crime scene. They were reaching the outer fringes of the crowd now, Gideon still in the lead. The experienced unit chief had specifically picked a path that would allow them to avoid most of the reporters on the scene. Gideon started working his way through the crowd, the people slowly parting to allow him to pass. Near the crime scene tape, a couple of reporters noticed their presence and called out questions which the seasoned FBI agent ignored for now. He showed a local deputy his badge as he ducked underneath the yellow tape, Morgan and Reid following him.

"Who's in charge of the scene?" Gideon asked the police officer.

"Sgt. Daniels is sir," the local officer said, pointing to an Alabama State Trooper who was standing near the car.

SSA Gideon nodded, as he headed in the trooper's direction, his two subordinates following him. "Sgt. Daniels," Gideon called out as he neared the trooper, announcing his approach.

The state trooper turned in the direction of the voice calling his name. Spotting Gideon, he looked the man up and down.

"I'm SSA Gideon," the FBI agent said, holding up his badge one more time, putting it away after Daniels had glanced at it. "This is SSA Morgan and Dr. Reid."

"You're the FBI agents brought in to try to connect those other recent murders?" Daniels questioned.

"We are," Gideon replied, neutrally. "You don't think there is a connection between them."

Daniels shrugged. "Haven't really given it much thought," he replied. "I think you'd be wasting your time here though. This looks like a simple homicide. Lover's quarrel, maybe?" the state trooper said, with a nod toward the door. "The driver was stabbed in the abdomen and then the throat, poor girl."

"Mind if we take a look at the scene ourselves?" Gideon asked. "We've discovered a unique link to the other four recent murders that unless you know what to look for, would be easy to miss."

"Knock yourselves out," Daniels said, with a wave toward the car.

The three FBI agents headed for the car that the crime scene unit was still going over. While Gideon and Morgan headed for the driver's seat, where the body still remained, while the CSI unit finished with its processing of the scene, Reid walked slowly around the car. The driver's side door was wide open giving a clear view of the body within.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be any of the staging that was present at the other scenes," Morgan commented, as he slipped on a pair of gloves.

Gideon nodded. "It doesn't seem that efficient a kill either. The wound to the stomach wouldn't have killed her right away and the throat is a stab wound. The UnSub didn't slit the throat like most serial killers would. This seems to be done by someone with less experience than has been shown at the other crime scenes."

"It could be that the manner in which he kills isn't as important to this UnSub. It's the process of acting out the scene that is important," Reid interjected.

Gideon and Morgan looked in the direction of his voice to see that the younger agent was standing on the other side of the car, peering in through the cracked passenger side window. Morgan thought Reid looked quite a bit paler than usual, but seemed to be holding up okay.

"Then why kill at all?" Gideon asked.

"Maybe he doesn't feel validation for his acting," Reid suggested tentatively.

Morgan meanwhile was leaning in, examining the body up close. He noticed a residue on the woman's face around the mouth. "It looks like there was tape or something over her mouth at one point, judging from the residue left behind," he commented. Morgan looked around to see if he could find discarded tape anywhere nearby. He didn't see anything, which could mean the UnSub had taken it with him. "This wasn't a simple Lover's Quarrel. Those happen in the heat of the moment. If this was a lover's quarrel, they would have stabbed her once and then left, not wait around to watch her die, or bother with gagging her."

"The houses are spread out on this street," Gideon said, looking around the area. "Chances are, any noise she could have made wouldn't have been heard by anyone. The houses that are near here, all have trees in the front yard, which would limit visibility and there are no street lights."

"The make and model of the car fits that of the one described in the novel Christine," Reid commented, taking a step back from the car. "I also noted the name of the street we're on - LeBay Street. Roland LeBay is the name of a character in the novel. He also happens to be the one that sells the main character, Arnie, the car known as Christine, hence the title of the novel."

"So this probably is our guy, then?" Morgan questioned as he stood up. "Why the lack of staging that we saw present at the other scenes then?"

"Lack of motivation. Lack of time to prepare. This crime happened just over twenty-four hours after his last strike. Could be that he didn't have the time to prepare something more elaborate?" Gideon supplied. "Did anyone find a purse or a wallet that may have contained identification?" the agent asked, addressing the closest man wearing a jacket with the CSI letters on the back."

"No. Nothing that we could find," the man replied. "She either didn't have it with her, or it was taken by whoever killed her."

Gideon turned back to the car, surveying the scene once again. Morgan meanwhile had started to walk around the car, using the light of his flashlight to search for anything the crime scene team might have missed.

"He's shown such meticulous planning at the other scenes, why rush this one?" Morgan asked out loud.

"Could have been the excitement of finding a car that fit the novel? So far he's staying in a limited geographical area. The C-body Plymouth Fury was made from 1955 to 1974 after which the company moved the name plate to an intermediate size car and continued the full size car as the Grand Fury. To find one in running condition, even if it wasn't the exact year, that also happened to be the same color as the one in the book, was a lucky find for the UnSub."

"So the car isn't the same year as the one in the novel?"

"It could be. I don't know enough about cars to be able say what year this car is," Reid replied.

Now standing next to the younger agent, Morgan used his flashlight to look over the car. "My best guess would be a 1958 from the styling," he finally concluded.

"Then it would fit exactly," Reid supplied. "The novel states that Christine is a 1958 Ford Fury though there are several discrepancies in the novel and the film, of things that are describe on the car but didn't actually exist on the 1958 version of the fury. For example the book mentions rear doors but Plymouth didn't actually have a four-door version of the Fury until 1959 and . . ."

Gideon held his hand up, which brought the younger agent to a stop. "I don't think that information is important right now," Gideon said, interrupting the younger agent.

"Ah, yes sir," Reid said, feeling his cheeks grow warm at the gentle rebuke. He was thankful that it was night and therefore less noticeable to his companions, though he was very aware of Morgan standing right next to him.

A loud noise up above them, caused those on the scene to look up. Bright fireworks lit up the sky indicating the coming of the new year.

"Happy New Year," Gideon muttered under his breath.

"So either our UnSub is devolving or he was just excited to come across the perfect car," Morgan said, looking away from the colorful display in the sky and across the car at his supervisor.

"Let's hope for the latter," Gideon said. "I hate to think of how hard it would be to catch this guy if he's devolving and the kills are going to be closer and closer together," he commented. Gideon looked away from the car and surveyed the gathered crowd. "Morgan, why don't you go question some of the onlookers. Maybe somebody saw something suspicious."

Morgan nodded, and headed toward the crime scene tape in an area that was heavy in onlookers and low on media personnel. Gideon turned from the car and looked for Sgt. Daniels. He spotted the state trooper talking to a CSI photographer not far away.

"Let's go inform Sgt. Daniels that this murder appears to be linked to the other four," Gideon said to Reid, who was still standing on the other side of the car from him. Gideon knew they were going to have to explain the connection of the murders to the Alabama State Trooper and though his explanation would probably be a bit more detailed than they really needed, the unit chief figured Reid would be the best one to do just that.

* * *

It was approaching two o'clock in the morning by the time Gideon pulled the SUV into an empty parking spot at their hotel. In the passenger seat Morgan unbuckled his seatbelt as he glanced in the side view mirror. Reid had fallen asleep, his head now resting against the window.

"Hey, Reid, we're at the hotel," Morgan called back as he pulled on the door handle.

In the backseat, the younger agent slowly woke up. Opening his eyes, Reid took a moment to look around and getting his bearings. Recalling where it was he had fallen asleep, he grabbed his messenger bag from the seat beside him and climbed from the vehicle.

By this time, Gideon and Morgan were already at the rear of the SUV. With the back hatch opened, the two agents grabbed the three go-bags that had been stored there before leaving the station. Morgan grabbed both his own bag and Reid's and as the younger man made his way to the back of the vehicle Morgan found himself trying to judge how Reid was holding up.

Though Reid hadn't gotten sick, no color had returned to his face. Even now, Morgan could see the weariness in the pale features that reflected the way he felt. Still, the older agent had to admit that Reid had handled himself well at the crime scene. Though looking through the passenger side window had been the closest the young agent had gotten to the body, he had held it together while they were at the crime scene and had provided some useful insights.

~_I guess we can't expect much more out of him at this point_, ~ Morgan thought, as he held Reid's bag out the younger man.

Reid took the bag, and put its strap over one shoulder. The thud of Gideon closing the hatch echoed in the otherwise quiet night, before the three profilers started walking across the parking lot. At this time of night the lobby of the hotel was empty, save for the lone employee sitting behind the desk. Gideon gave the man a nod as the three profilers headed toward the elevator.

"We're on the seventh floor, right?" Morgan asked as the three agents stepped into the elevator.

"Yes," Reid replied, as he leaned against the back wall of the elevator.

Being the closest to the controls, Morgan pressed the button for the seventh floor and the elevator started its upward ascent.

"So, Gideon, given the time we're getting in, any chance you'll move wake-up call?"

"No," the unit chief replied. " We've got a lot to do in the morning and I still want to be heading to the station by eight this morning."

"It was worth a shot," Morgan commented with a shrug of his shoulders.

The rest of the ride up was silent. When the elevator came to a stop on the seventh floor, Morgan let his two co-workers proceed him out. As he stepped into the corridor, Morgan got his wallet out and found the key card that Nichols had given him. Checking the room number on the envelope, Morgan glanced at the numbers on the door, as he followed the other two agents down the hallway.

Ahead of him, he heard Gideon address Reid. "I know it's late but I want to talk to you for a few minutes."

Morgan didn't hear a response from Reid, but as he paused in front of his room, the dark-skinned profiler glanced up the hallway to see his two co-workers in front of the room two doors from him. Morgan swiped the keycard through the card-reader to unlock the door. Pushing the door open, he saw Gideon follow Reid into the other room.

~_Apparently he's not taking a chance of letting things build up over night like they did in Maine, _~ Morgan thought as he walked into the room.

Reaching out, Morgan soon found the switch and flipped on the lights. Making his way into the room, Morgan tossed his go-bag on the closest of the two full-sized beds. Suddenly, the only thing Morgan wanted to do was collapse onto the inviting mattress. Turning on the lamp between the beds, Morgan retraced his steps to turn off the main lights. As he walked back toward the beds, he kicked his shoes off. Once he was standing in between the two beds, Morgan removed his two guns, the handcuffs and deposited them into the drawer. Un-clipping his phone, he sat it down beside the lamp, turned the light off, and climbed underneath the blankets.

As he waited for sleep to claim him, Morgan thought about the day. It seemed as though they had accomplished very little and yet being able to make the connection between the crime scenes and the Stephen King novels had been a big step. It gave them something to work with, and Morgan knew they wouldn't even have that if it weren't for Reid.

~_The kid is proving his worth even if he can be annoying at times, ~ _Morgan thought as he closed his eyes and tucked the blanket tight under his chin as he found a comfortable position in which to lay. ~_We just have to work on getting him a thicker skin, _~ he added, as he started drifting to sleep.

* * *

"You going to sit with us, Boss?" Nichols asked as he waited for Reid to slide into the seat on one side of the booth a little pass seven later that morning. "We can pull a chair up to the end. It'll be crowded but we can make do."

"Nah," Gideon replied as Morgan slid into the booth opposite of Reid. He held up the newspaper he was holding so that the other three could see the daily crossword visible. "It's easier to work on this thing in solitude. I need something to help focus my mind before we get back to our case. I have a feeling that it is going to be another long day."

"If you sit with us, we could help you with that stupid crossword, though personally I don't see the fun in them."

"Yeah, Reid knows everything, so that thing could probably be solved in no time," Morgan commented.

"Which would just take the fun out of it," Gideon replied. "No, I think I'm going to go right over there," he said pointing to a table for two by the front windows, "and enjoy the solitude. Which means, Nichols, I'm counting on you keeping Morgan and Hudson out of trouble."

"Well, you have more confidence in me than the bureau does," Nichols said, as he slid into the seat beside Reid.

"I only bring people onto this team that I do have confidence in," Gideon said, letting his gaze fall on Morgan briefly before he headed over to the table he had pointed out a few moments ago.

"Why do I get a feeling that last comment was directed at me?" Morgan commented, grabbing two of the menus tucked behind the napkin holder. He held one out to Nichols.

"Because Hudson isn't around," Nichols replied, as he took the menu from Morgan.

"So, can I start you fellas out with coffee or something else to drink," a waitress asked. She was an older woman, graying hair, with a natural smile and thick Alabama accent. The three profilers acknowledged her inquiry by letting her know they wanted coffee. "Three coffees coming up, Sugars," the woman replied.

"Ah, make that four," Nichols told her. "Someone else will be joining us shortly."

"Four coffees," she confirmed, before heading over to where Gideon was sitting.

"So, is that murder you guys went to check out last night related to our case?" Nichols asked, perusing through the menu that he held.

"Yeah, according to the details Einstein picked up on, it appears to be," Morgan replied, tipping the menu he was holding slightly in Reid's direction.

"What's the UnSub's MO this time?" Nichols asked.

"Um, could we hold off on this conversation until after breakfast?" Reid asked quietly, before Morgan even had time to open his mouth.

Both agents looked over at their teammate. Reid hadn't regained much color even after a night's sleep and as they looked at him now, Nichols and Morgan noticed a greenish hue to the younger man's complexion. Morgan bit his lower lip to keep from smiling at his teammate's discomfort, even though he had to admit that discussing a murder scene was not a topic that most people would bring up right before breakfast.

"Sure we can," Morgan said, easily letting his gaze drift from Reid to Nichols. "So what is Hudson up to anyway?"

"He'll be in shortly. I left him in the lobby gathering and putting the papers I printed out for him this morning, back in order. I told him I'd save him a seat," Nichols replied. The café was right next to the hotel, so the profilers had walked over that morning.

"Back in order?" Morgan questioned.

"I may have dropped them accidently," Nichols answered, making a quotation movement in the air with his fingers as he said the last word. Morgan gave his co-worker an amused smile, knowing exactly what he meant by that. "Oh come on, you've both worked with me for almost a year now. Surely, you have both learned that unless you are sent by Gideon to wake me up for something work related, don't come knocking on my hotel door before my alarm goes off. Six-thirty was way too early this morning, especially seeing as I didn't climb into bed until two."

"What were you doing until two this morning?" Morgan asked.

"Work," Nichols replied. "Just because I wasn't traipsing around in the dark with you three last night, doesn't mean I wasn't being productive. I finished going through the list of known actors in the area, to see if anyone fit our profile, and while there are quite a few that don't seem to be finding their dream, none of them fit our profile. There haven't been any reports of unusual outbursts at auditions when someone doesn't get the part they wanted, no reports of threats against others who may have gotten the part they wanted. Whoever this guy is, he's flying below the radar right now."

"I thought you were a miracle worker, Nichols?"

"No, I'm a computer specialist and while our prowess all things related to information technology may dazzle you mere mortals at times, we can't find something if there is no record out there for it."

"What about tracing purchases," Reid commented softly, causing both of his teammates to look in his direction. "The things found at the crime scenes like the buckets and the rain slicker that didn't belong to the victim. They had to come from somewhere," he said, putting the menu he had been looking at, away. He had asked the others not to talk about the scene last night and then he went and brought up the other scenes. It was times like these that he hated having an eidetic memory.

"You may be onto something there, Junior. Course if the guy is smart and using cash there won't be a record, but its worth checking into," Nichols said, as Hudson slipped into the seat across from him. "Good morning. Nice of you to join us."

"Yeah, it's been a wonderful morning so far," Hudson muttered, placing a small stack of papers and his checkbook on the table.

The waitress came back with the coffee cups and asked if they were ready to order. Nichols and Morgan placed their orders and the waitress turned to Hudson.

"What'll it be, Sugar?"

"I'll have what he's having," Hudson replied, pointing to Morgan who had ordered an egg and sausage breakfast.

"What kind of bread for your toast?"

"Wheat," Hudson replied, opening his checkbook to the ledger and placing it next to the papers, while pulling a pen out of his pocket.

"And you, Sugar?" the waitress asked, her gazing switching to Reid.

"Ah, nothing. I'm not really that hungry after all," he replied.

"Come on, Sugar. This place might be small but our cook is really good. Might not be just like mom use to make, but it'll come close."

Reid shook his head.

"He'll have the egg, ham and cheese sandwich," Nichols said, ordering something he had seen the younger agent order at other occasions while they had been out on a case. "On wheat bread," he added, as that was always the type of bread Reid requested. He chose to ignore the indignant look from the younger agent and instead smiled up at the waitress.

"Sure thing," she replied, before walking away from the table, an amused look gracing her features.

"You're eating something," Nichols said, adding some cream to his coffee cup, before Reid even had a chance to protest. "There is no telling when we'll eat next. Gideon tends to get caught up in a case at times and loses track of time, along with the fact that we do have to eat and I don't feel like listening to any lectures about not looking out for our teammates after you faint on us. I promise, no more talk about the case around the table," he added, looking at both Morgan and Hudson.

"Yeah, promise. No more shop talk," Morgan replied.

"Yeah, whatever," Hudson replied, not really sounding like he had any idea what he was responding to. His attention was focused on the papers in front of him.

"What are you up to anyway?" Morgan asked, looking over his friend's shoulder.

"I called to get my bank balance last night, and it wasn't even close to being right. Turns out the bank charged me an overdraft fee because there wasn't enough money to cover a check and they had to pull money from my savings account to cover it. I'm trying to find out where they messed up, because there should have been enough money to cover all my outstanding checks."

"Oh, yeah, because it just has to be the bank's fault," Nichols said, lifting his coffee cup to his mouth to take a sip.

"Sure you didn't forget to record a transaction with your debit card," Morgan suggested. "I've done that myself a few times."

"I write down everything."

"You know you did owe me that fifty bucks, and I did tell you I was going to get it back one way or another . . ." Nichols said, letting the comment trail off.

Hudson looked up at him. "You wouldn't. Nichols if you messed with my account, you won't be using your computers for a while because I will break every bone in both of your hands."

"Ooohhh, temper, temper," Nichols said with a laugh. "I didn't do anything, not that I couldn't. You still do owe me fifty bucks though for that um, thing you didn't want mentioned, from last month."

"I'll pay you, as long as you keep your mouth shut."

Nichols made a motion across his mouth like he was zipping his lips. Both Reid and Morgan were wearing amused expression at the exchange between their two teammates. Morgan made a mental note to try and find out about the thing that Hudson didn't want mentioned. Whatever it was, it had to be good dirt, for Hudson to go to Nichols to bail him out.

"And as long as he can figure out how to balance a checkbook," Morgan added.

Hudson looked up from his paperwork to glare at his friend. "I'm so glad that you're finding this amusing and I do know how to balance a checkbook, it's my bank that doesn't know what it's doing."

"You do realize, that knowing how to do something and doing it correctly are two completely different things," Reid interjected, in a matter of fact way."Even books that are published, despite several different people proofreading them during the whole process, sometimes end up with mistakes in them."

Hudson moved his glare from Morgan to the younger agent as Nichols and Morgan chuckled at the exchange.

"I wasn't trying to be funny, I was just saying that . . ."

"Whether or not books get published with mistakes or not is not at all relevant to the situation. Now, could I please get some quiet while I figure out why my bank is charging me overdraft fees."

"The mistake is in the math," Reid replied.

"What?" Hudson asked, still glaring at the younger agent. Oblivious to Hudson's reaction, Reid leaned toward him and pointed out the math mistake he had spotted on Hudson's ledger.

"It's an easy mistake to make, really," Reid said, leaning back against the seat back and picking up his coffee cup.

"Maybe we should have bought you a calculator for Christmas," Nichols commented, a big grin on his face, matched only by the one that Morgan wore.

Aggravated, Hudson closed the checkbook, threw the pen down on the table and got to his feet. He stalked to the bathroom, more embarrassed than angry really, but wanting to get away from his teammates for a few minutes.

"I didn't mean to make him mad. I was only trying to help," Reid said, looking first at Nichols and then across the table at Morgan. "Should I apologize?"

"I wouldn't bother," Morgan told him, thinking of all the intentional jabs Hudson had gotten in on Reid since the agent had joined their team, many of which the younger man wasn't even aware of. "He'll get over it."

"Besides, he is just as upset with us right now, as he is you," Nichols added.

"Are you sure?" Reid asked nervously.

"Positive," Morgan told him. "You didn't do anything wrong and if he does give you a hard time, then let me know. I'll handle it," he added, knowing that due to Hudson's attitude to their youngest teammate, he very well could decide to take things out on Reid despite the fact that it was Nichols and himself who had been doing the teasing.

Reid nodded, not looking at all convinced.

Before any of the FBI agents could say anything else though, the waitress returned with their orders. As the waitress placed plates in front of Nichols and Reid, Morgan neatened Hudson's things into one pile and moved them a bit closer to him to clear some room for Hudson's plate.

"Anything missing?" the waitress asked, looking around the table at her patrons, who all indicated that nothing was in some manner. "I'll bring around the coffee pot for refills. Enjoy, Sugars."

The waitress walked away, and true to their word, Nichols and Morgan directed the conversation at the table to away from the case and started discussing what they did on their holiday break. Hudson returned before too long, outwardly calmer, and participated in the conversation although he didn't mention his father's illness or the relationship with him, instead focusing on the family celebration instead.


	30. Food For Thought

AN: Well, depending on the time zone, I may or may not be late with this update. My only excuse is that I was busy having fun today so I hope you'll forgive me the few extra hours. I appreciate everyone who is reading this story and thanks to those who have reviewed, alerted, favorited or sent me a PM inquiring about this story. You're support is appreciated!

* * *

Morgan pulled the SUV into a parking space outside of the Abottsville police station.

Unfortunately, since Reid's idea hadn't yielded any leads there had been no progress yesterday. Morgan, Hudson, and Reid had spent the morning revisiting each murder site, ensuring nothing had been overlooked. After spending the last five hours driving around all that had been accomplished was a scenic drive around the Lake Guntersville area.

As soon as the car stopped, Hudson was out and heading toward the station's front door while Reid, carrying the other four soft drinks from the deli, struggled not to spill his burden while getting out from the seat behind Morgan's. Once the young agent was standing, Morgan shut Reid's door and locked the vehicle, catching Hudson's glance as Reid headed toward the station. However, the next time Morgan looked up, Hudson was already inside, the door swinging shut behind him.

Shaking his head, Morgan lengthened his strides to reach the door before Reid, as the younger agent had the more awkward of the two burdens. Pulling the door open, Morgan held it for the younger man.

"Thanks," Reid said, as he stepped into the station.

"No problem," Morgan said, following him inside. ~_When I get a chance to have a talk with Hudson, the two of us may have an issue, _~ Morgan thought, annoyed that Hudson hadn't bothered waiting for them, since he was certain the agent would have held the door for any other member of the team. _~This childish jealousy of his has gone on long enough,~ _Morgan thought, having noticed that the only thing that Hudson had curbed about his attitude toward Reid was where he displayed it. Hudson watched what he said and how he acted toward Reid only if Gideon or Hotch were around.

Morgan and Reid headed for the conference room the team had been using since their arrival. Along with Gideon, Hudson, and Nichols were the two local law enforcement personnel they had been working with. Officer Nelson was a member of the Abbottsville police department who had been assigned by the station's captain as a liaison for the team. He had been helpful in getting them what they needed, giving directions, and showing them around the area. Sgt. Cooper had joined them yesterday, following the death of Christine Levenworth, who had been the driver of the Plymouth Fury. A member of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, Sgt. Cooper had been appointed to take lead in the series of murders and had been easy to work with so far.

"Find out anything new?" Gideon questioned, as he looked up from the computer screen he was looking at over Nichols shoulder.

"Nothing helpful," Hudson replied.

Gideon sighed. "He's out there planning something. The question is what and where is he hiding while doing his planning?"

"So where do we go from here?" Morgan asked, placing the bag from the deli on the table.

"Funny you should ask that," Nichols replied, as he sent the information he had up on his screen to the station's printer. "While you guys were out joyriding," the computer tech said, earning him a snort from both Morgan and Hudson at his choice of phrasing, "I've been busy compiling a list of recent casting calls in the area," he told him. He and Gideon had come up with the idea that the UnSub may have recently tried out for a part in something local. "The plan is to pay a visit to those in charge of them and present the profile, see if we get any hits."

"We'll split the list Nichols compiled into three sections," Gideon said. "Nichols and Hudson will take one third. Morgan and Reid will cover another and Sgt. Cooper and I will cover the last portion of the list. Hopefully, someone can provide us with a name."

As the two Alabama law enforcement officers left for their own lunch break, the federal agents settled down around the conference table to eat their subs. Nichols retrieved the papers he had printed out and divided the list into three roughly equal sections while trying not to spill the contents of his sub on them, and then reordering the stacks once he accounted for travel distance between the various locations.

Sgt. Cooper came back from his lunch break just as the federal agents were beginning to clean up from their lunch. As Gideon and the state trooper headed out of the conference room, he told Morgan to come with him. Since Reid was on the phone, Hotch having called to check in only a few minutes before, Morgan quietly told Reid to meet him outside when he was through. The younger agent nodded his acknowledgment and Morgan followed his supervisor outside.

"Morgan, make sure you keep an eye on Reid while you're out there," Gideon said as they walked toward the main entrance of the police station.

"Why? We believe our UnSub is an actor so we're going to be talking to people we don't even think could be possible suspects. How much trouble can he get himself into?"

"All the same, keep him with you," Gideon said seriously, holding eye contact with his subordinate as he paused, one hand on the door. He wanted to convey to Morgan just how serious he was about these instructions. "Don't let him out of your sight. He's still in his probationary period. He's supposed to be learning this job and he can't do that if he isn't with someone he can learn from."

"Okay. I got it," Morgan replied with a nod. "I'll keep an eye on him. We're supposed to have each other's back no matter what, right?"

"Right," Gideon replied, opening the door and walking through it. He tried to keep the worry out of his voice, but from Morgan's next words, the senior profiler figured he hadn't been very successful.

"Just concentrate on your list of people. Reid will be fine with me. Maybe I wasn't very receptive of him in the past but believe it or not, the kid's starting to grow on me," Morgan said following Gideon outside.

"Good, just be careful."

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied.

As Gideon joined Sgt. Cooper in the state trooper's patrol car, Morgan headed toward the SUV that he and Reid would use. Leaning against the driver's side front fender, he settled in to wait for Reid, but it wasn't long before Hudson came out of the station alone. Figuring this was his chance to speak to his fellow agent, Morgan motioned for Hudson to come join him.

"If you want me to switch partners with you, you're out of luck," Hudson said, jokingly as he walked toward Morgan.

"I wouldn't subject Reid to that," Morgan replied, not a trace of humor in his voice. He saw Hudson frown as he picked up on his tone. "What's your issue with Reid anyway? In the couple of months he's been with us, his mistakes were those any green agent could make; it's not like he left us high and dry during a case."

"I don't have an issue with him," Hudson said, defensively.

"So you're telling me you wouldn't have held the door for Gideon or anyone else on the team, when we came back to the station this afternoon?"

"You're upset because I didn't hold a door open?" Hudson asked, incredulous.

Morgan clenched his right hand into a fist as he mentally repeated the word _patience_ in an attempt to calm down. He couldn't believe his friend could be so dense, and the picture of wrapping his fingers around Hudson's neck momentarily flashed through his mind.

"No, I'm upset because not only did you look right at us before going into the station but that was only another instance of you purposefully showing Reid that you don't think he belongs on this team."

"He doesn't."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why doesn't he belong on this team?" Morgan asked, looking directly at Hudson as he waited for a reply. Hudson stared at him blankly, no answer forthcoming. Finally, Morgan spoke again. "He graduated the academy, has taken the profiling classes, and has contributed to every case since he's been on this team! And okay, he's not the best shot but then neither is Nichols and I don't ever hear you complain about that. I'll even give you that he can be a little annoying at times, especially when he goes off on one of his spiels about trivial information, but it's only because he's trying to share that information not because he's trying to show off how smart he is."

"This from the guy who is forever telling him to be quiet and teasing him."

"There is a difference between not wanting to listen to one of his asides and being mean. I've got no problem with you politely telling him you're not interested - yelling at him to be quiet so the rest of the bullpen can hear is taking it too far. And before you say something, I know I did that myself one time. It was wrong and I haven't done it since then because it's not fair to him. Reid is trying to fit in with this team. Trying to feel like he's an accepted member of the team, but you're not allowing that. As for the teasing, I tease everyone. But you, there are times when I think you go out of your way to hurt his feelings."

"I do not!" Hudson protested, actually looking a bit hurt at the accusation.

"You do and I know you're not really that type of person. You can be bit brusque at times but you're not usually outright mean. Perhaps you need to take a few moments and examine your behavior. Look, I'm not saying you've got to like Reid but he is a FBI agent and a member of this team, that in itself should entitle him to at least some courtesy from you."

"Maybe you should mind your own business," Hudson shot back, even as he turned on his heel and stalked to the team's other SUV.

Frustrated, Morgan moved from his leaning position, and grasped the door handle. He yanked the vehicle door opened and climbed into the driver's seat. The federal agent then pulled the door shut a little harder than was necessary, the action doing little to relieve the frustration he was feeling.

Morgan was still feeling steamed when Reid joined him a few minutes later.

"Sorry," Reid murmured, climbing into the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Though he wondered what the apology was for, Morgan refrained from commenting on it. "You have the list, right?" Morgan asked as he put the key into the ignition. Reid had taken the list from Nichols as the groups were assigned and had immediately started looking at a map, though wasn't sure what the younger agent had been up to.

"Yeah and I took the time to organize the addresses in the most efficient order so that . . ."

"Reid, I'm not really interested," Morgan said, a bit more brusquely than he intended. Reid's softly spoken apology and attempt to move closer to the door of the vehicle made Morgan lower his voice as he continued. "Just tell me where we are headed to first."

Meekly, Reid gave him the first address as the older federal agent backed the SUV out of its parking space.

* * *

With Nichols behind the wheel, he and Hudson headed for their first address. Other than Hudson giving directions, the two didn't talk much. Nichols had sensed Hudson wasn't in a good mood when he'd gotten into the SUV, and for the time being, was choosing to stay out of whatever was causing the other agent's foul mood. He might be good at talking local agencies into helping them out, or smoothing things over when somebody managed to ruffle feathers during a case, but inter-team politics was not his thing.

It was different when he was dealing with people from other law enforcement agencies. He didn't work with them on an everyday basis, so he didn't care if they got ticked at him for doing his job. Taking the risk of getting one friend mad at him because he took another friend's side in an argument that he had nothing to do with, well that was a different story. It wasn't like he had the authority to actually settle anything between team members anyway, that was Gideon's department. Which was why, up to this point, he hadn't confronted Hudson about his attitude toward Reid. He had tried to support the younger agent as much as he could without getting into a conflict and had tried to offer moral support when Reid had been feeling low because of things that were going on, but he hadn't interfered; he had lost count of the number of times Reid had ended up in his office working on files to escape Hudson's comments.

~_Reid is the only one of them who has ever taken me up on the open door policy_, ~ Nichols thought, having told all his teammates that if his office door was open, just to pop on in. All of them still insisted on knocking, though both Hotch and Gideon often knocked as they were already walking into the room, having learned that he didn't always hear them when engrossed in his computers. By Thanksgiving, Reid had been taking refuge in his office whenever he felt he needed a place to hide, and if the door was open, he didn't waste time in his retreat from the bullpen with the action of knocking. He had been hoping that as time went by, the younger agent wouldn't need to escape so often, but even now Reid spent a lot of time in his office. It wasn't so much that he didn't want Reid around, having company was actually a nice change as the others only ventured to his office when they needed something. Though he had often dropped in on them in the bullpen, he wished the younger agent didn't feel he had to hide from their other two teammates.

The two agents stayed silent, save the necessary conversation needed to do the job. They had visited two of the names on their list with no leads, and were on their way to the third when Hudson finally broke the unspoken rule between them of no non-work related conversation.

"Nichols, do you think I go out of my way to hurt Reid's feelings?" Hudson questioned, repeating the words Morgan had spoken to him back at the station. Earlier lectures from Gideon came to mind. "Or that I'm jealous?"

"Can I take the fifth on that question?" Nichols asked lightly. He had a sinking feeling that he was about to be drug into whatever was going on whether he wanted to be involved or not.

"No. I'm serious. Do you?"

Nichols sighed. "Yes," he replied, choosing not to elaborate for the time being. The less he said the better the chance Hudson wouldn't be mad at him.

"I'm not jealous. I'm just as good of an agent as he is, even if I don't have a sky high IQ or a photographic memory."

~_Eidetic_, ~ Nichols silently corrected, though he refrained from voicing it. Hudson hated being corrected and as they were already on thin ice, now wasn't the time to be adding fuel to the fire. "You don't have to convince us of that. No one ever even implied that you weren't. It's yourself I think that you are trying to convince of that," he ventured, knowing that the statement now put him solidly within the dynamics of the inter-team drama that was playing out._ ~Exactly what I've been trying to avoid, ~_ he thought, hoping that this conversation wouldn't last long. "It's just not fair that some people get handed things to them."

~_I hope I don't regret this_, ~ Nichols thought as he opened his mouth to stick himself even further into the situation. "You honestly think that Reid just had things handed to him?"

"Yes, Nichols, I do. He's twenty-two, but is let into the academy under the age requirement, was probably given all kind of leeway to actually get through the academy, and then gets handed a choice assignment that veteran agents would probably fight each other over."

"Hudson, take a moment to listen to yourself and maybe you'll see just why we think you're jealous." Nichols paused and Hudson didn't start protesting or trying to argue against the statement, he continued. "Yeah, maybe Reid did get lucky with getting this assignment right out of the academy, but it wasn't handed to him. He worked hard to get here. The academics might come easy to him but it isn't hard to see that the physical requirements, shooting requirements, even the social aspects of the academy was not easy for him. He's earned this spot, just like the rest of us, and he isn't your competition. He's your teammate. He was brought onto the team to replace Collins, just like you were brought in to replace Robbins."

"Not only does Gideon believe in giving people a chance not based on past mistakes but on current performances. He isn't the one to start replacing team members just for the fun of it. Why do you think we've only just started bringing new personnel in? Gideon believes in loyalty, and he expects it from everyone he works with. I wouldn't even be in the BAU if he hadn't fought to get me on this team. You've got nothing to prove to him; you proved yourself when you got on the team."

"What about Robbins? He didn't last here long."

"And that was his own doing."

"That's not what I've heard."

"Then you've heard wrong," Nichols told him. "Robbins and Morgan were at each other's throats from the moment Robbins joined the team. Gideon dealt with it as best he could and as subtlety as he could, just like he's doing now."

In the passenger seat, Hudson ducked his head even though Nichols' eyes were on the road and not on him. Despite several lectures from the unit chief, and the threat of a written warning during the last lecture, Gideon had yet to take any official action against him or his actions toward Reid. _~Something that my old supervisor would have done following the first lecture_, ~ Hudson thought, realizing that he had been lucky on that count. If he had to be honest about it, some of his behavior over the last couple of months should have probably earned him a legitimate write-up or two.

"Robbins probably would still be with us if he hadn't forced Gideon's hand. Gideon carefully chooses his team, so he would only get rid of a handpicked agent if he had no other choice; he'd let the agent leave voluntarily first. Robbins told Gideon that working with Morgan was impossible and that either Morgan had to go or he was leaving. I know because Robbins vented to me right before going up to Gideon's office. I knew there was no way Gideon would get rid of Morgan so I wasn't surprised when Robbins told me he had been told he was free to leave."

"So what are you telling me? That I'm only going to hurt myself with my attitude?"

"Professionally, yes but then it doesn't seem like I need to tell you that."

"What do you mean professionally?" Hudson asked, his eyes darting from the road sign he just read to the map he had. "And, you need to make a U-turn as we passed our turn two roads ago."

Nichols didn't comment on the botched directions as he calmly turned the SUV into a store parking lot before heading back to the road they needed.

"Hudson, do you mind if I try to give you a bit of insight into Reid's life?" Nichols asked. He figured he was already so far into this conversation that going a bit further wasn't going to hurt.

"Shoot," Hudson replied.

"Do you remember your experience in high school?" Nichols asked patiently.

"Yeah," Hudson replied, not choosing to elaborate on it. The star of his basketball team starting his sophomore year, he looked on those years with fond memories.

"Remember how the smart kids were looked at by the rest of the class?" Again, Hudson answered in the affirmative. "This the road?" Nichols asked, as they approached and intersection.

"Yeah, take a left," Hudson replied, checking the map to see where the next turn would be.

"Well, try putting yourself in their place and then imagine being a few years younger than all your peers. I think even you will agree, that wouldn't be a pleasant experience. Reid's picked up on your attitude, just like the rest of us have, though he's internalizing it. It's a natural reaction for those of us who have been bullied to automatically feel as if what is happening to us is our fault. Reid's no different. There is no rule that says you've got to like everyone you work with. But right now at times you're the equivalent of the school bully. Somehow, I don't think that is how you want to be seen by the rest of your co-workers."

Hudson didn't reply right away as he contemplated his teammate's words. He hadn't been accused of being a bully since he was a teenager, back when he use to intimidate Tommy Jentry, who ended up being their valedictorian, to do his homework for him. He hadn't liked the accusation then and he didn't like it now. Tommy, who had been the quiet kid, never once got in trouble and always managed to kill the curve, much to Hudson and his classmate's displeasure. Tommy was the kind of person who always kept to himself, only speaking when called upon by a teacher. By the time they had reached high school, due to the class' teasing, Tommy only answered questions when specifically asked. He probably knew the answer to every question asked, but never raised his hand.

It didn't take much effort for Hudson to see Reid in Tommy's place_. ~I thought I had changed since then, but perhaps I haven't changed that much after all, _~ Hudson contemplated silently, even as Nichols use of the word 'us' in his last speech started to sink in.

"What did you mean by 'us'?" Hudson asked, even though he felt that he already knew the answer to that question.

Nichols didn't answer right away. Hudson had accepted that he wasn't going to, when his co-worker finally spoke.

"I was like Reid when I was in high school, so I know how he feels. Oh, I was nowhere near as smart, and wasn't any younger than my classmates, but I was the class geek. I tried to keep to myself. To avoid the school jocks. I even missed the bus on purpose sometimes so one of my parents would have to drive me. I hated speaking in front of groups - I even refused to give a speech when I was valedictorian - I preferred to stick to myself and read anything I could get my hands on. Senior year I started getting involved in computers and in college I chose my major based on that. So yeah, I know exactly how Reid is feeling right now."

"Knowing you now, I find that hard to picture," Hudson commented before telling his co-worker to turn right at the next light.

"Yeah, well I got lucky; I found a group of kids in college that accepted me. Being with them started teaching me how to interact with those around me in a healthy way. I knew they'd always have my back no matter what, and so I gained the self-confidence to believe in myself no matter what some people thought about me, because they were the ones whose opinions really didn't matter. Spencer hasn't been lucky enough to find friends like that, yet."

Hudson didn't miss the emphasis that Nichols put on the final word. "The place is up here on the left," he told his co-worker, ready to go back to hiding in the work they had to do for a while instead of the more personal stuff. ~_I'll have time to think things through later_, ~ Hudson thought, not wanting that kind of distraction while working.

Nichols pulled the SUV into the parking lot of the next place on their list and the two federal agents headed inside, hoping to find something that would provide them with a lead on the case.


	31. Is Somebody Watching

**AN: Sorry, a bit late again. Got sidetracked with other things. Anyway, thanks to peanutmeg for going over this chapter for me as well as brainstorming to fix a timing issue!**

* * *

Gideon was getting ready to leave his room Saturday morning when his cell phone rang. Thinking it was one of his agents he and answered the call without looking at the screen.

"Agent Gideon."

"Morning, Jason. Didn't wake you, did I?"

"Hotch?" Gideon asked, glancing again at the clock sitting on the small table between the two beds. It read seven o'clock, which would make it four in Seattle. "Kind of early for you to be up isn't it?"

"Tell that to the guy in the room next door. John Wayne doesn't exactly have the kind of voice that is easy to fall asleep to. Apparently the guy is an early riser."

"You could ask him to turn the TV down."

"I did. He refused, so I showed him my badge. He asked me when it had become a federal crime to listen to a TV. So, I called the desk. That worked for about ten minutes. As Haley would kill me for calling this early on a Saturday to chat, I figured I'd call you."

"So how are things going with the trial?" Gideon asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yesterday seemed to go well for us," Hotch replied. "If things keep moving at the pace they are, I should take the stand Monday morning."

"Glad to hear things are moving along out there," Gideon said as he grabbed a jacket and headed toward the door.

"How are things going down there?" Hotch asked.

Gideon stepped out into the hallway and pulled his hotel door shut. "Case wise, we're no further than we were when I talked to you yesterday afternoon. We had some potential leads but none of them have panned out. Nor have there been any other murders in the area that seem to fit our case," Gideon replied, thinking of the shooting in Langston that had been nothing but a robbery attempt gone wrong. "Either our UnSub is still planning his next move or he's moved out of the area. We're doing a press conference this morning. Sgt. Cooper and I think that at this point it's the best course of action even though this UnSub fits with the type that's seeking attention. The crime scenes practically scream, 'pay attention to me'."

Gideon reached the end of the hallway, and stabbed the down button for the elevator with one finger.

"Let me know how it works," Hotch commented.

"Now don't you go start feeling guilty because you're not here helping us," Gideon said, picking up on the tone of his friend's voice. "What you're doing out there is just as important."

"Are you profiling me now?"

"No, we just spend too much time together," Gideon replied as the doors to the elevator opened. "But I'm probably going to lose the signal since I just got to the elevator. I'll call you right back," he added, stepping inside. He ended the call as the doors closed.

The ride down to the ground floor was quick, and as Gideon stepped into the hotel lobby he redialed Hotch's number. After the two profilers had discussed the case for a bit, Hotch asked the question he had wanted to ask since first calling the unit chief.

"How's Reid doing? He seemed okay when I spoke with him yesterday, but since he's so used to dealing with everything on his own, reading him over the phone requires a lot of guesswork."

Gideon gave a short chuckle. "I bet it does," he said stepping up onto the sidewalk that surrounded the side and front of the café. "Don't worry about him; he's doing fine. Morgan said he let Reid take lead in a few of the interviews yesterday and he did okay."

"That's good," Hotch replied. "Morgan at least seems to be accepting Reid as part of the team."

"Yeah, but after last night Reid's interaction with Morgan and Hudson is the least of my worries," Gideon replied, as he approached the front door. "I'm not sure what's going on, but there seemed to be tension between Nichols and Hudson when they came back from conducting interviews. And Morgan and Hudson barely exchanged two words to each other."

"Perhaps you should ask Nichols if he knows what is going on," Hotch suggested, even as Gideon entered the café next to the hotel that they had been eating breakfast at and paused just inside the door. "He interacts with the others in a less formal way than you or I."

"I don't know," Gideon said as he stood slightly off to the side of the doors, so as not to block the cafe's entrance. "You know how Nichols feels about getting in the middle of other people's conflicts. I have a feeling that's the issue between him and Hudson right now. I don't want to put him in that position myself," Gideon said, glancing around the café to see if his agents were there.

"There is nothing saying that agents have to get along one hundred percent of the time." Hotch paused but when Gideon didn't reply he continued. "I'm sure it'll blow over. They may have already even settled things."

"Somehow, I don't think that is the case," Gideon said, spotting the team.

Nichols and Reid were sitting across from one another in a booth. Gideon hadn't missed Nichols' protective nature toward Reid from day one. Though always one to put out a welcome mat to any new person he met, Gideon realized that it went beyond that this time, and he wasn't about to question it. Especially not when Reid had easily accepted, Nichols offer of protection and friendship, probably due to the actions of other co-workers.

Morgan was sitting next to Nichols. As Morgan was finally accepting Reid as a member of the team, none of this really surprised Gideon. What did surprise him, was that Hudson was sitting alone. If he and Morgan had separated from the other two, he wouldn't have given it a second thought. The fact that Hudson had distanced himself from even Morgan told the unit chief that the two agents had not worked out their differences.

"They're professionals. Things will be fine," Hotch said, trying to sound reassuring.

"I hope so. I've got an UnSub planning who knows what. I need them all at their best and not distracted by personal squabbles."

"You all can handle it. If there is anything I can do from here . . ."

"No. Focus on the trial. We'll be fine. I'll talk to you later," Gideon said.

Ending the call, Gideon moved away from the entrance. Instead of taking a seat by himself as he had been doing for meals at the café, Gideon headed toward the table occupied by Hudson.

"Mind if I sit down?"

Hudson glanced up at the sound of his boss' voice. Though he didn't reply, the New York native waived a hand toward the empty seat across from him.

Gideon sat down across from Hudson, gauging what his first move should be.

"Hey Sugar, what can I get you?" the waitress asked, coming quickly to the table, as she placed a coffee cup on the table in front of the federal agent. As Gideon ordered the same thing he had the day before, she filled the cup with coffee from the pot she held in her right hand. "Coming right up," she replied. "Refill, Sugar?" she asked, her gaze switching to Hudson, who nodded his response.

"You're quiet this morning," Gideon commented, adding milk and sugar to the dark liquid in the cup in front of him.

Hudson shrugged his shoulders as he cut off a few pieces of the omelet on his plate. After a few moments of silence he spoke. "I haven't been much of a team player, have I?"

"Because you didn't join your teammates for breakfast? There isn't a rule that says we've got to spend twenty-four hours a day together."

"That's not what I was referring to."

"You've your moments," Gideon replied, picking up his cup and taking a sip of coffee.

"And yet you haven't taken any official action. All the supervisors I've worked under before would have. Hell, a couple of them would've probably already told me to move on."

"You don't get rid of a wheel just because it's squeaky, you oil it. Eventually, enough oil will get it spinning smoothly again."

"And I'm the squeaky wheel of this team right now?"

"Seems like you think you are. Want to talk about why you think that is?" Gideon asked, remaining neutral and non-condemning. It wasn't like Hudson had broken any bureau policies that he was aware of. _~If being a jerk was against bureau policy a lot of agents would be out of a job, _~ Gideon thought, as he waited for his subordinate's reply.

Hudson turned his attention to his breakfast instead of answering the unit chief. Across from him, Gideon waited patiently, not pressing for answers. Years of doing this job had taught him that patience often yielded better results than force.

The waitress returned with the bagel and side of sausage that Gideon had ordered. She refilled his coffee cup and then headed to another table. As Gideon spread cream cheese over one half of his bagel, Hudson spoke again.

"Morgan seems to think I'm not giving Reid a fair chance at being accepted as a member of this team."

Gideon nodded, now feeling he knew what was going on between Hudson and Morgan. Apparently Morgan had called Hudson on his attitude and the two had exchanged words.

"And though Nichols is too polite to come right out and say it or hold it against me, I get the feeling he feels the same way. I guess it got me thinking."

"And?"

"Well, maybe they have a point. I guess I was so intent on keeping my position on this team that I was willing to do anything to protect it."

"You're position with this team was never in jeopardy. I've already told you that."

Hudson shrugged as he thought of his father and the fact that John Hudson had felt his son was making a mistake with his career choice, especially with this last move. Proving him wrong had become an obsession with him over the years. ~_Apparently an obsession that blinded my better judgment._~

"It's just not that easy. Or well it wasn't."

"Then things have changed?"

Hudson thought about his visit with his father. There were a lot of issues left between them but yes things had changed. While still unhappy with his career choice, and not changing his opinion on profiling, John Hudson had said four words that his son had been waiting to hear most of his life - I'm proud of you. Hudson smiled as he thought of what his father had followed that up with.

"_Don't get me wrong, it's not the job I'm proud of you for. I still think profiling is a joke, but you made your own choice and are making an honest living doing it. You also seem to be happy. Except for a kid following in their footsteps, not much else could make a father happier."_

"Yeah, things have changed."

"Then perhaps you need to change the current situation here too."

Hudson glanced over to where his co-workers were sitting. Morgan was currently reaching across the table, covering Reid's mouth with one hand, a smile on his face as he said something. Though he couldn't hear the conversation, Hudson had a pretty good idea what was going on, and wondered what had been said to start Reid spouting out trivial information or statistics. He let his gaze go back to his supervisor sitting across from him.

"Patching things up with Morgan shouldn't be too hard," Hudson said, having already decided that he needed to make an apology to his friend. "The situation with Reid is a bit more complicated. I wouldn't have any idea what to say to him."

"Who says you need to say anything," Gideon told him. "Actions can say more than words at times. Just show him that you accept him as a member of this team. Show him the same respect that you show the rest of us. You might be surprised at how quickly something like that can change the atmosphere."

Hudson nodded and the two profilers continued to eat their breakfast in a comfortable silence.

* * *

He sat on the couch of his apartment, with maps and brochures of vacation spots surrounding Guntersville Lake, opened on the coffee table in front of him. The TV was on, but he wasn't really paying much attention to it. Mostly he just needed the noise to help him concentrate. The planning for his next scene was almost done. Most of the maps and brochures were of no use to him at this point but he hadn't bothered to throw them away yet. He had chosen his spot. It was perfect really, a private cabin on the shore of the lake. He had even gone and scouted the place out.

The cabin was secluded. Surrounded by trees and far enough away from other dwellings that noone would hear a thing, it meant that he wouldn't be interrupted. It was slightly disappointing that there would be no audience to his performance, but having the scene interrupted would be more disappointing than the lack of an audience.

The owner of the cabin didn't use it much but that had worked into his favor too. The cabin was rented out to vacationers. A few well-placed calls to the real estate agent handling those rentals, and he had found that the cabin was currently occupied. One conversation later, a mere acting exercise that was beneath him really, and he had found out quite a bit about the cabin's current occupant - Charles King. He was disappointed in the name having no relevance to his latest work but the last name had a bit of a sweet irony.

The conversation with Charles King had revealed that the man was vacationing alone. Following a bitter divorce with his wife of four years, Charles had confided in him the need to get away. A firefighter with the Chicago fire department, his wife had told him she was tired of living with the crazy hours and constant fear of the phone ringing. After several attempts to get him to find a different job, which Charles refused to do as he enjoyed firefighting and it gave him time to pursue his hobby of writing, his wife had finally said she had enough.

"_When I finally get some novels published and am well known, she'll be sorry_," Charles had confided in the stranger who had been out hiking and had gotten 'lost'.

The name might not have been right but the occupation was and to him that was the more important thing. The TV suddenly brought him out of his thoughts.

"_We believe the man we are looking for to be a white male, between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-five. Though he might be holding down part time jobs to help support himself, his work history will not be stable. This man has an interest in acting, something that he feels his talent is under appreciated in. The state police and the FBI are currently keeping areas which we think he might strike under surveillance, but we urge all citizens to be extra vigilant. When you're out, try not to be alone, especially in secluded areas. Make sure all doors and windows are locked and if you see anyone or anything suspicious call the tip line we have set up."_

The man balled his hand up in a fist and brought it down hard on the coffee table. The law was getting closer. If they found him, then the world would be deprived of his work before they really began to understand just how good he was. That's all he was really searching for anyway, the recognition of his peers. Once he got that, he would stop all this. He really hated that his supporting actors and actresses had to suffer like this, but it was for a greater good. All would be forgiven once the world saw his greatness.

These FBI folks couldn't be allowed to ruin that. The curtain was about to rise on his next scene, but he needed to make sure that the law didn't get in the way of that art. Reaching for a pen, he quickly jotted down the number for their tip line.

~_You want a tip; I'll give you a tip. And keep you occupied with something else so that you don't ruin my final act. There is another part of this work that I've always been partial too and there is no reason why one of you can't help me act that out before I move onto the finale, _~ the man thought, the gears already turning in his head.

It looked like today would be spent doing more planning. He needed to locate a spot to carry out his scene. A location away from his final act. He would need to collect the items needed, his mind already creating a mental list - rope, stakes, mallet.

The man looked at the TV screen where the FBI agent, flanked by an Alabama State trooper, was now fielding questions.

First though, he needed to do a little surveillance. Just how many FBI agents were there? His plan would require getting one alone, and though he wasn't going to be picky about which one it was, he did want to know who he was going to be up against.

* * *

Five disappointed federal agents climbed from the two black SUVs in the back parking lot of their hotel. Despite the press conference and setting up the tip line, they were still no closer to catching the UnSub than they had been that morning. Very few calls had come in and those that did had turned out to be nothing.

Walking across the parking lot, Reid suddenly stopped and looked around, searching the darkness for anything out of place.

"Reid, what are you doing?" Nichols asked, pausing himself. The question attracted the attention of the others.

"He thinks somebody is watching us," Morgan replied, answering for the younger agent. "He has all day. I think Gideon's press conference freaked him out."

"Relax, Junior. No one in their right minds is going to try jumping five armed FBI agents in the middle of a parking lot," Nichols said, nodding toward the hotel as an indication for Reid to continue walking.

"Like the people we chase are ever in their right minds," Hudson commented idly. He was standing next to Gideon several feet in front of the other three.

"He's right you know. People who are considered sane never go out and just start killing other human beings. There is always . . ."

"Reid," Morgan said, interrupting the younger agent. He waited until Reid looked in his direction before continuing. "We all know what the people we chase are like. Putting it into words right now is not going to make you feel any better, so how about we end this conversation and head inside. I don't know about you but I'm tired."

"I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sleep," Reid said softly, looking over his shoulder one more time even as he started walking toward the back entrance of their hotel again.

"Do we need to post a guard outside your door, Reid?" Morgan asked lightly, drawing chuckles from Nichols and Hudson.

"No," Reid responded quickly, even though he realized the older agent was teasing him with the question.

The profilers continued toward the hotel. In the lead, Gideon swiped his key card to gain entry, and they all filed inside. Before long, the elevator was opening onto the eighth floor where their rooms were located. As the team members headed toward their rooms, Gideon gave them one more reminder of their meeting time for the morning.

Walking into his room, Morgan headed right for the bathroom. After taking a hot shower to help him relax, he put on a pair of sweat pants and a white T-shirt. Feeling a little guilty about the posting a guard comment, the dark-skinned agent decided to check on Reid before climbing into bed. The young genius had been more jumpy than usual all day, and Morgan had dismissed it, not seeing or sensing anything out of the ordinary himself.

Leaving his room, he turned left heading toward Reid's room which was on the other side of the room that Nichols occupied. Reaching the door to Nichols room, he almost collided with his co-worker coming out of his own room.

"Sorry," Morgan said, stopping right before walking into the computer specialist.

"No problem," Nichols said. "Just thought I'd check in on Reid before retiring."

"Yeah, me too," Morgan admitted. "I really think it's just that over active mind of his playing tricks on him."

"You're probably right. Still, we don't want him falling asleep on us tomorrow," Nichols said.

"No, we don't."

"Coming?" Nichols asked, nodding in the direction of Reid's room.

"Lead the way," Morgan replied, making a sweeping gesture with one hand.


	32. Wrong Call

"You guys do realize that this is probably going to turn out to be another wild goose chase don't you?" Morgan said, pulling the visor down to block the light from the setting sun after making a turn.

Gideon's press conference on Saturday and their subsequent set-up of a tip line had generated some calls, but so far none of those had proven useful. Now as Monday came to a close with no progress tensions were starting to run high.

"It feels like we've been following false leads all day," Hudson commented from the passenger seat.

In the back seat, Reid remained quiet. Though Hudson had seemed to be less hostile to him during the last two days, Reid wasn't about to chance annoying him once again. Pointing out that they had only checked out two other tips today probably wouldn't sit well with his teammate. Not to mention, he was feeling self-conscious after being told by both of them that it was his overactive mind playing tricks on him when he mentioned he felt like they were being watched. The only small consolation had been that at least Hudson had looked around the area they were in before saying that.

"The only bright spot is that it's getting us out of the station. I sure wouldn't want to be Nichols right about now," Hudson commented.

Nichols was currently set up at the station, using his computer to check up on names that had been thrown out during the interviews with the directors and producers of various auditions that had taken place in the last three weeks. Gideon was also at the station, pouring over victimology. So far, neither had gotten anywhere.

"We're getting nowhere," Morgan commented, the frustration evident in his voice. "We've been lucky this guy hasn't struck again, but that's only going to hold for so long. He is eventually going to pull off his next attack and take even more lives."

"If he hasn't already," Reid commented softly from the backseat.

"You really think this is going to turn out to be connected to our case?" Morgan asked, glancing briefly at his teammate through the rearview mirror.

"Well, if the call is legitimate, it could be. The details given in the call coincide with a death in the book the Werewolf Cycle. Granted the time of year is off, and we're heading to a state park instead of a town park, but the report given was that the victim was a boy that had been stabbed in the stomach and beheaded, and there was a kite found with him. Those three things match the story."

"Why would anyone have a kite on a trail in the middle of the woods? You can't fly it," Hudson commented.

"It wouldn't matter to the UnSub," Reid supplied. "To him, it's matching details in the book. Chances are the kite doesn't even belong to the victim, if there is a victim," he said.

The call had been made to the tip line anonymously and there hadn't been time to conduct a trace on the call. And, though the call was likely a prank, they couldn't take the chance that it wasn't. The anonymous caller had claimed to have found the body of a boy while hiking in the woods in the state park.

Morgan glanced in the mirror. Reid had gone pale while discussing the details of the call and the book. It was enough to make him question the wisdom of sending Reid with them on this call. ~_If this isn't a prank, is the kid going to be able to handle it? ~_

"You okay, Reid?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah. Fine."

The question caused Hudson to look back over his shoulder. Noticing the younger agent's pale complexion, his thoughts mirrored those of Morgan's.

By the time they had reached the park, the sun had set. Following Hudson's directions to the trail head the body was supposedly on Morgan saw the ranger's vehicle waiting there too. He pulled up beside it as the park ranger exited the vehicle.

"You guys really think there may be a body up on these trails?" the ranger asked, after introductions had been made. In his left hand he held a large flashlight. Having been told not to investigate until the agents arrived, he was starting to grow impatient.

"We can't be sure until we check it out ourselves," Morgan replied, switching his own flashlight on to make sure it was working. "How's the terrain for this trail?"

"There's some hills and narrow spots, but nothing too difficult. But we've lost the light so we're going to have to watch our footing."

Hudson leaned in close to Morgan. "Perhaps we should have Reid stay here," he suggested. "He looks freaked out already and if the tip was accurate, how do you think he's going to react?"

Morgan glanced over at Reid, who was nervously looking around. The younger agent was still pale and his actions made Morgan wondered if he felt as though he was being watched again. Still, Gideon had told him to keep Reid in sight at all times. ~_How much trouble can he get into if he stays with the vehicle though? This hopefully won't take long._~

"Reid, why don't you stay with the vehicle? We'll let you know what we find," Morgan said, making a decision.

"By myself?" Reid asked, his voice rising in pitch as he asked the question.

"You scared?" Hudson asked.

"No," Reid protested, the words not sounding convincing even to his own ears.

"If you wait in the car and lock the doors, you won't have anything to worry about," Morgan told him.

Reid nodded, as he stuffed his hands into the FBI windbreaker he was wearing along with a grey scarf. Though the temp was warm for a January day, Reid suddenly felt a bit chillier at the prospect of waiting in the middle of the woods alone in the dark. Still, he wasn't about to admit that to his co-workers.

"We won't be long," Morgan told Reid before looking back at the park ranger. "Lead the way."

* * *

Behind a tree not far away, a man watched the scene unfold. The fact that three of the FBI agents had shown up to check out his 'tip' complicated matters. With the addition of the park ranger that was four people. He knew he would be outnumbered in a direct attack. He would need a way to get one of them alone. While he would prefer one of the FBI agents to carry out his plans, the park ranger would do if he had no other options.

~_Maybe I should have grabbed the park ranger before they arrived, _~ he thought, before quickly dismissed it. It wouldn't have worked. They may have wondered why the ranger wasn't there to meet them, but it wouldn't have triggered an all out search. The agents probably would have investigated the 'tip' first with no guarantee that the fact the ranger hadn't met them would have been anything more than a passing thought. ~_It may have been the guy's family or him not showing up for work tomorrow that triggered a flag. I need the law busy here_, _to keep them away from my final scene.~_

~_I'll simply follow and look for an opportunity to overpower one of them. If something doesn't present itself, I'll have to think of something else_, ~ he thought, continuing to watch the group of people in the darkening twilight. ~_A car accident might work, _~ he contemplated. _~If they never arrive back at the station, people will be looking for them._~

It wasn't long before the ranger and federal agents started heading for the trail. He was getting ready to move so he could follow when something made the man pause. One of the FBI agents was hanging back.

~_Kyle, this could just be your lucky day_, ~ he thought, watching the lone FBI agent looking around the area. He willed him not to retreat to the car as that would make his job harder.

Not only had he gotten his wish of getting one of the agents alone, the lone agent also happened to be the smallest and youngest of the three. A perfect target. The man knew he could overpower the agent. He would also be the easiest one to carry through the woods to where the rest of his stuff lay waiting.

Leaning against the tree trunk, the man continued to watch. He needed to let enough time pass so that the others would not be able to the sounds of a struggle. Patience. That was what everything relied on.

* * *

SA Dr. Spencer Reid was well aware of the silence that surrounded him. Looking around the gravel parking area at the head of the trail, he thought about what species of wild animals lived in the woods of Alabama. Though many thought them to be decreasing in population, black bears still resided in the state. Sure, they were smaller than other bears and less aggressive, but Reid still had no inclination to meet up with one face to face.

A snap off to his right made him turn quickly as he shined his flashlight in that direction. That feeling of being watched was suddenly more intense. Although, he didn't see anything in the direction the noise had come from.

Glancing back at the trail, Reid debated on whether or not to follow his two teammates. Yes, Morgan had told him to stay here; however, at this moment facing an angry teammate wasn't seeming all that bad. At least he knew his fellow FBI agent wouldn't actually do anything to him other than yell and possibly give him the cold shoulder for a while. And it wasn't like he wasn't use to getting the cold shoulder from people. He could deal with that. At least he would be alive.

At the same time, he knew he would never live down the teasing he would receive if he followed. He could just hear Morgan and Hudson both making jokes about whether he could get home alone okay or if he was okay alone in his hotel room. Yes, joining them would only give them fuel and besides, he had a gun and he could just climb into the vehicle, lock the doors, and stay there until Morgan and Hudson returned.

An owl hooted in the distance, and Reid jumped.

"Get a grip," he muttered to himself, feeling embarrassed even though there had been nobody around to witness the reaction. "I'm not going to go running to them. I'm an FBI agent. I can handle myself, especially when there is nothing out here to be afraid of other than the dark."

He was about to turn and lean against the vehicle when he felt two strong arms grab him from behind, one at waist level and the other one across his throat, preventing him from calling out. Though his left arm was tightly pinned between himself and the guy's arm, Reid managed to slip his other arm free of his attacker's grip. Reaching up, he grabbed the arm around his throat, trying to ease the pressure even as he took a step backwards. The move allowed him to grab a breath of air.

Trying not to lose the little ground he had gained, Reid tried to duck out from his attacker's grasp. The genius thought he was going to be successful, until he felt his left arm being grabbed and twisted roughly behind his back. The next thing Reid was aware of was being roughly shoved against the side of the SUV, and the right side of his face made contact with the side window as an arm against the back of his neck preventing him from moving.

Reid realized that his right arm was still free. Trying not to draw the attacker's attention, he tried to bring his right hand up to get a hold of his gun. Even if all he could do was fire a shot into the ground, the sound itself should be loud enough to get the attention of Morgan and Hudson. He knew if they heard a gunshot they would come running.

"This won't be so hard on you if you don't fight me," he heard his attacker say quietly into his ear, the guy's warm breath blowing across his skin, "this wouldn't be necessary if you guys weren't intent on ruining my show."

Those words made Reid realize that their UnSub had found him. ~_And if he was here waiting for this, then the tip is a fake. The anonymous caller was most likely him, _~ Reid thought, even as he felt his right hand find the leather of the holster. He felt blindly, trying to free his gun.

"Still, I always did like the scene in the movie that you're going to help me act out. That's lucky for you really," the man continued, though Reid felt anything but lucky right then. "You might even survive the performance unlike most of my co-stars, though that is really going to depend on your friends. It won't be up to my usual standards but I'm sure I can do it justice. The important thing is it will keep your friends busy while I conduct my real scene. I really hate being interrupted in the middle of a performance. It's just so annoying."

Reid was able to get the gun out of the holster before the UnSub became aware of the action. Removing the arm that held Reid's head against the vehicle, he reached for the agent's right wrist. During the struggle that ensued, Reid tried to get his finger on the trigger. One shot and his teammates would come running. Despite his best efforts though, he lost the grip on the weapon before he was able to do so. Silently, the weapon dropped to the ground. His only means of defense lost, Reid doubled his efforts to break free of the UnSub, trying to remember everything the instructors at the Academy had ever said during self defense training.

Not really sure how he managed it, Reid did finally escape the guy's grip. Reid didn't waste time looking for the dropped weapon, instead making a break in the direction of the trail. Finding his way in the dark was going to be hard but it was his only chance.

Reid hadn't gotten far when he felt the UnSub tackle him from behind. The force of the impact caused him to lose his balance and he stumbled, his left ankle twisting as he went down. Though he broke his fall slightly with his hands, he still felt the air being knocked from his lungs as he hit the ground, his attacker on top of him.

"You do insist on making this hard don't you," the guy said angrily.

As Reid tried to catch his breath, he felt his attacker pull both arms behind his back. The man crossed Reid's wrists and held them in one hand. Reid knew his chance of escape was quickly disintegrating, as he tried to desperately will his body to take a breath. He felt something cool and hard being placed around his wrists, and then tightened in in one quick movement. His attacker then rolled him onto his back, straddling his thighs to prevent him from trying to get up.

Mustering everything he could manage, Reid let out a shout of help, not knowing if anyone would actually hear him or not. Still, he had to try. If Morgan and Hudson hadn't gotten too far away, he might just have a chance. Before he could get a second shout out, a sweet-smelling cloth was being held over his mouth and nose. Holding his breath, Reid thrashed his head about trying to shake off the man's hand. He finally managed it and took in a quick breath of air, even as he winced in pain when the man grabbed the back of his hair with his free hand.

"And here I thought this wouldn't be so hard," the man said menacingly, as he placed the cloth back over Reid's mouth and nose. "There is more fight in you than one would think at first glance."

Reid felt his lungs screaming for air. Knowing the consequences that would occur if he gave in, he tried to hold his breath for a little longer.

"Give into the inevitable. Go to sleep and when you wake up again it'll almost be show time," the UnSub taunted.

Finally, Reid's instincts won. As he drew in the breath of air that his lungs were desperately craving, he also breathed in the chemical the cloth had been doused in. Despite Reid's waning resistance, the man held the cloth in place, forcing Reid to breathe in more of the chemical.

Reid felt his head start to feel hazy. Darkness threatened at the edges of his awareness. He tried to move his head away from the cloth once again, and the pain as his hair was pulled from the attempted movement not really seeming all that bad.

~_Perhaps this won't be so bad_, ~ Reid thought, just before total blackness overtook him.

* * *

"From the caller's description this should be the area," the park ranger Jordan Chandler said, as he came to a stop. He shined the flashlight he was holding on a larger boulder. "That's the boulder that marks the other trail joining this one. This trail continues up to the left past the boulder. This other trail goes off to the east, runs down by the river for a while and then loops back toward another parking area. There's a third trail you can take that would loop you back to the parking area that we started in."

Morgan acknowledged the parker ranger's information as he moved his own flashlight around the area. On the other side of the trail, Hudson did likewise. The caller had said that the body was near the boulder. Despite a search around the big boulder lying between the two trails there was no sign of a body anywhere near it. Still, the two federal agents did a thorough search of the area to be sure. There was no body or any sign that a body had ever been there.

"Well, I'd say it looks like this was just someone's idea of a sick prank call," Hudson said disgustedly as he walked back down the other trail after checking along both sides of the trail for about ten feet.

"There is no other place that would fit the description we were given?" Morgan asked, glancing at the park ranger that was standing near the boulder.

"No. This is the only spot where there is a large boulder sitting between the split of two trails. I've worked here for eight years now. I know every inch of this park."

Morgan nodded, feeling frustrated. He was getting really sick of chasing false leads. "What kind of sick person would call into a tip line with a false lead about a dead body and take the time to give details?"

"Someone who has a lot of time on their hands. Probably some teenagers who got bored and decided sending the police on a wild goose chase is a good way to have a good laugh," Hudson replied, the tone of his voice clearly saying that he wasn't finding it at all humorous.

"Well, there is clearly nothing here so we might as well head back," Morgan said.

The other two men nodded, and with the park ranger in the lead again, they started carefully back down the trail.

"Thanks for taking the extra time to help us check this out," Morgan told the park ranger.

"No problem, though I'm glad there is no body. Word of that getting out would probably turn people away from using these trails. If patrons don't come to the park, I don't have a job."

"Well for the record, I'm glad there was no body too. I'd like to catch this guy before he claims another victim."

"That makes two of us," Hudson said as he brought up the rear.

Not much was said during the rest of the hike back. When they finally reached the parking area, Morgan grew a bit concerned as he didn't see Reid.

"Damn it! I told him to stay with the vehicle," Morgan said, even as he lengthened his stride and walked past the park ranger.

"Relax. He's probably inside taking a nap," Hudson called, continuing the walk at a leisurely pace.

Morgan didn't reply as he approached the SUV. Going on Hudson's suggestion, he used the flashlight to see through the windows of the vehicle. It was clear that Reid was not inside. As he walked toward the back of the vehicle his foot hit against something hard. Morgan stopped where he was and the beam from the flashlight glinted off the metal of a gun. Squatting down, Morgan picked it up. It didn't take him long to recognized the piece.

"This is Reid's gun," Morgan called out, shining his light on the ground in the area around him. From the random and smeared state of the footprints in the dirt, it was easy to tell that there had been some kind of struggle here. Morgan stood up. "Reid isn't careless. Something went down here."

Hudson was now moving his own flashlight around the area. He noticed another area in with telltale signs left in the dirt. "Looks like there was a struggle here too. I'd say someone was forced to the ground and was held down. There are two sets of footprints that lead up to this area before disappearing, and then another set that lead off in that direction," Hudson said, following the retreating footsteps with his light for as far as possible. "I'd say whoever surprised Reid ended up carrying him away from here, though apparently the kid gave him one hell of a fight before hand."

"Damn it!" Morgan said, turning and kicking the wheel of the SUV as hard as he could. Other than feeling pain in his foot, the action accomplished absolutely nothing.

"Want me to call Gideon?" Hudson asked.

"No. I'll do it. He's going to want to talk to me anyway," Morgan said, Gideon's voice telling him to not let Reid out of his sight eched in his mind. The unit chief was not going to be happy.

"I'll get a hold of the ranger on duty at headquarters. We'll call in as many of the rangers as we can to assist with a search," Chandler spoke up, having remained quiet while the two agents had discussed the scene.

Hudson almost jumped; he'd forgotten about the park ranger. "Thanks," Hudson replied, as Morgan already had his cell phone to his ear.

With the aid of his flashlight, Hudson continued to search the area around the vehicle, being careful not to disturb any prints that were on the ground that might prove useful. Though it was clear to him that Morgan was taking the blame of this incident on himself, Hudson couldn't help but feel guilty too. After all. he was the one that had suggested that they leave Reid alone at the vehicle.

As he walked around to the passenger side of the vehicle, Hudson noticed something stuck under the windshield wiper. He tucked his flashlight between his head and shoulder, and pulled a pair of latex gloves out of his pocket. Donning the gloves quickly, he retrieved the flashlight, and held it in his left hand as he grabbed the paper with his right. He flipped the folded up piece of paper open and read the words scrawled on it.

_His fate now lies in your hands. Can you find him before Death claims him for his own? __Misery__ has just begun._

Even if the word hadn't been capitalized and underlined, Hudson would have recognized Misery as one of Stephen King's works, having seen the movie. "Morgan, it's our UnSub," Hudson called out, hurrying back around the vehicle and coming to stand beside his teammate.

Morgan looked at the note Hudson held for him. "Gideon, we got a note," he told the unit chief before proceeding to read it. Morgan heard Nichols in the background acknowledging that it was one of Stephen King's works.

"This guy is taunting us to find him," Gideon said. "More than likely he'll leave him somewhere in that park."

"Gideon, the park is more than 6,000 acres. It's a large area to be searching, especially in the dark."

"We'll get as many people involved as we can. Get helicopters and canine units out there to help with the search. Can the park rangers help us?"

"The ranger we met here is already on it," Morgan answered.

"He said before Death claims him as his own," Hudson said, speculating out loud. "Do you think that means Reid is injured?"

"I can think of a scene in the book which would leave us little time to find Junior if the UnSub chose to act it out," Nichols said.

"Let's not waste time speculating?" Gideon said. "We'll set up a command post where you are and organize a search of the park. Let's find Reid and catch our UnSub at the same time. Be careful about contaminating the crime scene. Hopefully, the crime scene unit will be able to find some useful evidence."

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied. "Gideon I'm . . ."

"We'll deal with all of that later," Gideon replied, cutting Morgan off. "For now, let's concentrate on finding him."

"Okay," Morgan said, the guilt weighing heavily on him.

Morgan hung up the phone. Hudson was slipping the note into a plastic bag as the park ranger walked over to them.

"Eric's making phone calls now,"Ranger Chandler informed him. "I'm sure we'll be able to get most of our co-workers in here to help search. Unfortunately, our Fred and George, who were at the gates, have already left. George was still at the station and is heading in the direction of the west entrance, which is the direction that the footsteps go off in, but it's a long shot."

"A long shot is better than nothing. If the UnSub keeps going in that direction, the ranger may spot something."

"So what do we do now?" Hudson asked. "Just wait for the others to get here?"

"Hell no! I'm following those footprints as far as they go, and even if I lose them I'll keep searching. I'm not wasting any more time just standing around. We have no idea how much of a lead the guy already has," Morgan replied, opening the back door of the SUV and tossing Reid's gun inside on the floorboard behind the driver's seat.

"I'll come with you," Hudson said, having a feeling their unit chief wasn't going to be happy with the course of action but knowing he wasn't going to be able to talk Morgan out of it. Nor was he going to let Morgan search the woods alone, especially since he had suggested they leave Reid at the vehicle.

Morgan nodded as Hudson handed the bagged note to the park ranger.

"Chandler, wait here for the others," Morgan said, addressing the park ranger. "Let our unit chief know that we've already started searching."

"Got it. Good luck," the ranger said.

Without another word, Morgan and Hudson started in the direction the lone trail of footsteps went off in.


	33. Running Out Of Time

AN: So it's been awhile since I did a second update so here is one. I want to celebrate reaching some more amazing milestones for me, which is all do to my wonderful readers! You guys are amazing as is my beta for this chapter(and some of the other ones), peanutmeg. She's got amazing patience with me! Hope you all enjoy and please keep the reviews coming! I love hearing from you guys.

* * *

The UnSub made his way through the woods, the dead underbrush now on the ground crunching underneath his feet. Despite his burden being draped over his shoulders in a fireman's carry, the hike back to where he had set things up was taking a bit longer than he had anticipated. His burden let out a low groan and shifted slightly. Apparently, the federal agent was beginning to wake up.

~_That won't do_, ~ the UnSub thought, remembering how much of a fight the federal agent had put up back at the parking area. Though his wrists and ankles were now bound, the UnSub didn't have any delusions about his captive being cooperative. ~_Fighting with him at this point will only slow me down more.~_

Stopping and bending over, he let his burden fall from his shoulders. There was a slight grunt of pain from Reid as his body roughly hit the ground. The UnSub reached into his back pocket for the cloth. Out of one of the side pockets of the cargo pants he wore, he took out the jar containing the homemade chloroform. Dousing the rag with some more of the chemical, he knelt down next to the federal agent. He held the cloth tightly over the agent's mouth and nose. He had hoped to only have to use one dose of the chemical to get his supporting actor to the stage he had picked out and secured. He wanted him awake for the show, and a second dose now meant he would probably have to wait for him to awaken now.

~Oh_, well it can't be helped_, ~ the UnSub thought.

When he was satisfied that the chemical had sent the federal agent back into a state of unconsciousness, he stuffed the rag into his pocket with the jar. He picked Reid up in a fireman's carry again, and continued on his way.

He would reach his stage soon and he would then secure his unwilling supporting actor and wait for him to wake up. The scene shouldn't take long to act out, and he would still be able to make his escape before a search got too far underway. Everything was ready for his main act; he would head north to the cabin he had picked out for that scene as soon as he was through here. While the FBI and local police spent time searching for their colleague, he would be performing his art.

* * *

SSA Aaron Hotchner was packing his bag in his hotel in Seattle, glad that the trial was over and that Duran had lost his appeal. He had just gotten off the phone with Haley. She was disappointed that though the trial was over, he doubted he would be heading home. With the team still in Alabama and no breaks in the case, he anticipated Gideon would want him to join them down south. He figured he would pack his stuff up before calling the unit chief, so he would be ready to catch the first flight available to him.

His cell phone rang as the former prosecutor was zipping up his garment bag. Picking the device up from the bedside table where he had placed it after his phone call with Haley, he glanced down at the screen and saw Gideon's name. Answering it, he put the phone to his ear.

"Hotchner," he answered automatically. " I was just about to call you. The trial's over."

"Good, because I think you need to get down here as quickly as possible," Gideon replied, wasting no time on the usual conversational niceties.

"What's happened?" Hotch asked, hearing the hurried and clipped tone the unit chief used when something major was going on. Something had happened in Alabama and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"The UnSub struck again. He was able to grab Reid while he was with Morgan and Hudson checking out another possible victim."

"What? How?" Hotch said, his good mood from the victory in the courtroom completely disappearing. He should have been there with them. Reid was his probationary agent, his trainee; being the senior agent, Hotch was ultimately responsible for the safety of the young man. He heard Diana Reid's voice from a couple of months ago in his head.

"_Are you going to keep him safe?"_

Right then, Hotch felt as though he had failed her in that endeavor. If something happened to Reid, he wasn't sure how he was going to face the young genius' mother.

"I don't know exactly how. I didn't waste time asking Morgan for those details over the phone. Finding Reid is our priority right now. We'll sort the rest out afterwards. I'm on my way to the park where they were at right now."

"I'll take the first available flight," Hotch said, feeling helpless. There wasn't much he could do from this distance.

"Let me know the details and I'll make arrangements for someone to meet you at the airport," Gideon told him. "I'll keep you updated."

"Thanks," Hotch said. Without bothering to say a proper good-bye, he ended the phone conversation and reached into the front pocket of his go-bag. It didn't take him long to locate the ticket stub from his flight out. Finding the number for the airline, he quickly dialed. "Yes, this is SSA Aaron Hotchner with the FBI. I need to be on your first available flight to Huntsville International Airport."

"One moment sir, let me check the schedule," the woman on the other end of the line said.

Hotch stood rigidly in the hotel room, as he listened to the silence that seemed to last for a long time. Too long in his opinion.

"Sir, our next flight to HSV is in an hour and a half. We have some room available in coach."

"That's fine. I'll take it," Hotch told her.

The only thing that mattered right now was getting to Alabama as fast as possible. Ending the call with the airline, he hurriedly finished packing. Grabbing his belongings, he headed out of the room and down to the hotel lobby. He would check out and head to the airport. He would do his waiting for the flight there.

~_Please let them already have located Reid by the time I get there, _~ Hotch thought as he strode down the hotel hallway in the direction of the elevator. There wasn't anything he could do from this distance except worry and by the time he got down there, who knows what the UnSub could have had time to do to the young agent.

* * *

Morgan stopped, searching for any indication of what direction the UnSub may have gone. The forest ground had become littered with dead leaves, twigs, and rocks, all of which obscured the trail of footprints that he and Hudson had been following.

"If we've lost the trail, perhaps we should go back and join the official search," Hudson suggested. "We don't want to get lost ourselves."

"If we go back, this guy gets even further ahead of us. You can, if you want, but the only way I'm going back is with Reid. I never should have left him alone."

"Well, you can't take all the blame for that yourself. I'm the one that suggested it."

"I didn't have to listen to you. In fact, technically I outrank you."

Hudson sighed. He realized Morgan was determined to take all the blame of this on himself, and now was not the time to try and convince him otherwise.

"Finding Reid isn't going to solve much if we get ourselves lost and they're going to be searching for us - though granted I'd feel better."

"If we get lost, Nichols will track us via the signal from our cell phones. Why do you think the UnSub dumped Reid's phone? He didn't want us tracking him," Morgan said, looking around trying to figure out what direction to head. The light from his flashlight didn't penetrate the darkness far, and it all looked the same to him.

Reid's cell phone had been found just inside the forest off of the parking area, which only reinforced what they already knew about the UnSub. The guy was calculating. He thought things through - planning everything out and accounting for all possibilities. Morgan thought about Reid's claims of feeling as though they were being watched. ~_Perhaps it wasn't just in his head after all, _~ he thought, grimly.

"Which way then?" Hudson said, not about to let Morgan go wandering through the forest by himself, no matter how bad an idea he thought this was. ~_Gideon is going to be steamed, _~ Hudson thought, knowing that even locating their teammate wasn't going to completely save them from their supervisor's wrath.

"Well, if we continued in the direction the footprints had been going, we would go that way," Morgan said, gesturing in front of him with his flashlight. "However, this guy is meticulous. He would know someone would follow his footprints and so he'd change his direction as soon as he could obscure his tracks. It's a guessing game of which way though."

"Standing here isn't getting us anywhere," Hudson said.

Morgan sighed, and then followed his gut and turned slightly to his right and started trudging deeper into the forest.

* * *

Reaching the clearing he had staked out earlier that day, the UnSub dropped his burden right next to the stakes he had driven into the ground. Straightening up, he stretched his arms above his head, trying to ease the ache in his tired muscles. The almost three mile walk had proven more difficult than he had expected, even having had the luck of nabbing the skinny agent.

~_At least that old guy wasn't even here tonight. I probably would have had to drag him through the woods, and that would make it easier for them to track me_, ~ the UnSub thought.

Taking a few minutes to catch his breath, the man looked down at his catch. The second dose of the chloroform still had him out, though he doubted it would last much longer. He wanted the agent secured and ready for the scene before that happened, though. Pulling his knife out of its sheath on his belt, he leaned over and cut the flex cuffs he had used to quickly bind the agent's wrists and ankles back in the parking area.

Laying the agent on his back, the UnSub quickly tied each ankle to the stakes he had driven into the ground, which slightly spread Reid's legs. Grabbing another length of rope from the bucket he had used to carry everything to the site, he quickly bound the agent's wrists together. Then stretching the agent's arms above his head, the UnSub secured the rope to the single stake there. Next he grabbed the rag he had doused in a cleaning agent and stuffed the rag in the bound agent's mouth. He needed to keep the agent quiet when he regained conciousness. Though the gag wasn't part of this particular scene it was from the book and there was no point in helping his friends locate him. With the final length of rope he had, he secured the rag into the agent's mouth so that he couldn't push the gag out.

With his next supporting actor now securely bound, the UnSub reached over for the block of wood. He placed the wood between the agent's legs, just above the ankle. Standing up, he admired his handy work. This was going to be a quick little scene to act out. He had gone over his script before heading to the woods, so he knew them. All he needed was for the agent to awaken. He wanted someone to witness his performance.

He reached down and picked up the mallet. With the tool in hand he started pacing the clearing, going over his lines in his head. This was the first time he wasn't going to outright kill his supporting actor or actress. Somehow, outright killing a federal agent didn't sit well with him. Not to mention, there was a certain justice to doing it this way. Though his injury wouldn't immediately kill him, if his friends didn't find him quickly, shock would. If they did find him before that happened, getting him medical attention would take up more of their time. If they found a corpse, well, that would just energize their search for him.

Yes, this was the better way.

* * *

SSA Derek Morgan muttered a curse as they came across a stream. Though crossing it wouldn't mean much more than wet shoes and slightly wet pants cuffs, it was yet another way for the UnSub to throw them off his trail. Even the dogs would lose a scent in the water, assuming they found one before arriving here.

The sound of a phone ringing broke the silence of the woods. Morgan glanced behind him to see Hudson holding his phone up to his ear. He listened to his teammate's side of the conversation, able to quickly determine that Hudson was talking to Gideon. As the conversation continued, Morgan tried to decide what to do. Had the UnSub even crossed the stream?

~_If it was me, I'd cross the stream to try confusing anyone following_, ~ Morgan thought.

"Oh, he is so not happy with us right now," Hudson said, as he clipped his phone back to his belt.

"That's the least of my worries right now," Morgan said. "Did he order us back to the command post?"

"No. Just warned us to be careful and check in regularly." Hudson replied. "Gideon also said he would deal with the two of us after this is all over with."

Not commenting on Hudson's words, Morgan turned back to the stream. Did they continue on their current path? Did the UnSub walk up or down the stream before coming out on the other side? If so, which direction?

"Go downstream a bit and see if you can find any indication that he came out further down on the other side," Hudson said, thinking the same way Morgan was. "I'll check upstream."

Morgan nodded, a feeling of not making forward progression gnawing at him. Reid was running out of time. They had to locate him before the UnSub finished carrying out whatever he had planned for their teammate.

With the flashlight shining on the other bank, Morgan walked downstream. Nothing seemed to be out of place indicating that the UnSub had exited the stream. He was about to give up and head back to where he had left Hudson when he heard his teammate yell.

"Morgan, I found something," Hudson called.

Morgan hurried back upstream. Before long he spotted the light of Hudson's flashlight on the far bank of the stream. With no concern of the water, he hurried across and was soon standing next to Hudson.

"Reid's scarf," Hudson said, holding up the length of grey wool. "It got snagged by the tree branches. They came out of the stream here."

"Now we just need to make the right choice in direction from this spot," Morgan said, once again looking around and contemplating a direction.

"I'm going to call Gideon again. We can save some time by starting a search grid from here. Hell, maybe we can get a helicopter out here to help search."

Morgan nodded his consent, once again wanting to be on the move but seeing the wisdom in Hudson's plan.

"Gideon. Did you guys find something?" the unit chief asked, answering the call on the second ring.

"We found Reid's scarf. He was definitely taken this way."

"Good that narrows the area," Gideon said. His voice was lower with the next sentence which was not directed toward Hudson. "Nichols, track Hudson's cell phone so we can get the GPS location. We'll spread the search area out from that location."

"It'll take me a moment. Tell him not to move," Hudson heard the computer tech respond.

"I heard him," Hudson replied before Gideon had a chance to relay the message.

"I've got it. I'm marking the location as well as keeping his signal up on the map. We'll be able to track where they are through the cell phone as long as we don't lose the signal," Nichols said a few minutes later.

"Good," Gideon replied. "We'll have help out there to conduct the search and a police helicopter will be in the air shortly."

"Understood," Hudson said, before ending the call. He stuffed the scarf in his jacket pocket as he looked in Morgan's direction. "Which way?"

"This way," Morgan said with a wave of his hand, for Reid's sake hoping that he wasn't taking them in the wrong direction.

The two FBI agents started out. On the off chance that their teammate might be able to hear him, Morgan called out Reid's name. The UnSub had indicated that he was leaving Reid for them to find, which meant the UnSub didn't plan on hanging around.

~_We're going to find you Reid, just hold on, _~ Morgan thought as he led Hudson through the woods.

* * *

Awareness came back to Spencer Reid slowly. The cold air on his face was the first thing he was aware of. Next, he became aware of an ache in his arms but as he tried to move them he realized that they were secured above his head. The ache in his arms wasn't the only pain he was feeling either. The right side of his face hurt, as did his ribs. There was an ache in his left ankle that got worse when he tried to move that foot. Trying to open his eyes, he realized it was still dark, although he didn't recognize his surroundings.

There was a bad taste in his mouth, from the rag that was there. From the taste of it, Reid assumed there was some kind of cleaning chemical on it. The taste that made him feel nauseous and he tried to use his tongue to push the rag out but found that he couldn't. Nor could he move from his supine position due to both his ankles being secured along with his wrists. He felt panic rising as he gagged from the chemical taste in his mouth. Closing his eyes, he tried to will his stomach to settle down while breathing slowly through his nose.

And then the woods of Alabama blended with the football field of a Las Vegas football field.

_He could hear their laughter. He had closed his eyes to shut out the pointing and the joyful looks on their faces. He could feel the tight ropes that encircled his body, pinning his arms to his sides and binding his legs together. Against his naked back, he felt the cold metal of the goal post. Pleading words made their way to his ears. Pleas that came from his own mouth and apparently were falling on deaf ears as no one came to help him._

Reid tried to banish those memories. He wasn't in high school anymore nor was he back on that football field. Trying to keep his breathing calm, he tried to recall what had happened tonight. He had been at the vehicle when someone had grabbed him from behind. Given the struggle that had ensued, it was no wonder his body ached. Apparently his attacker had taken him elsewhere while he was unconscious.

_~How long has it been? _~ Reid thought, keeping his eyes closed. ~ _Do they know I'm missing yet? Are they out here looking for me or have they given up? ~ _He didn't have any answers for the questions and he was afraid to ponder to long on the last one, though one more thought did find its way to the surface. ~_No one helped me back then, so why would this time be any different.~ _

When he felt a little more in control, Reid opened his eyes again. Lifting his head as much as his bonds would allow him to, he looked around the area. The only light came from the moon, but he could make out some of his surroundings. Despite the clearing in the tree cover above him, he was still in a wooded area, though how far from the SUV he wasn't sure. Each of his ankles had been secured to stake, and a solid object had been placed in between his legs right above his ankles. Reid let out a groan as he realized just what scene their UnSub had decided to act out using him. Letting his head rest back down on the ground, he struggled against the ropes that held him.

"Ahh, you're finally awake," a voice said from above him.

For a moment the laughter of his high school's quarterback, Rick Lambert, filled his ears. It was as if Rick was standing above him, his fellow team members hovering close by. ~_But that was a long time ago. Rick and the rest of the football team are nowhere around here._~

Reid stopped struggling and tried to focus on the voice. He could see the outline of a broad-shouldered man standing near his feet. Reid tried to concentrate on breathing through his nose and not getting sick. The memories from high school faded away as reality flooded back to him. He wasn't sure which was worse.

_~Were his teammates anywhere close? Did they even bother searching the area surrounding the SUV? Was he even anywhere near the vehicle? _~ There were so many unknowns and Reid felt the icy grip of fear wash over him.

"I was starting to think I would need to act out my scene without my audience and that just takes away the fun," the man told him menacingly. "However, I need the law distracted looking for you, while I go conduct my next act. Your co-workers are searching for you after the note I left for them, though, and they'll eventually find you, I'm sure. The question you need to ask yourself is, will they find you in time?"

Reid pulled at the ropes binding his hands again, knowing exactly what the guy intended to do. His hands were bound too tight though, and the stake they were secured to wasn't budging either. As the UnSub lifted the mallet up in the air, Reid squeezed his eyes shut tight. He knew what was coming and he knew it was going to hurt. As the UnSub began to recite lines from the book, Reid began calculating how long he would have before the mallet would come down again. Simultaneously, Reid recalled the UnSub's words - "I always did like the scene in the movie that you're going to help me act out. That's lucky for you really."

~_Funny, I don't feel lucky_, ~ Reid thought, still pulling fruitlessly at the ropes that bound him. For the first time in his life, Reid wished he was back in highschool, tied to that goal post. Then, he had managed to free himself, though it had taken him hours. This time, knew that no amount of struggling would set him free, and he had more than the football team and Alexa Lizben to worry about. He had no _time_.


	34. Found

"Reid," Hudson called out, his voice carrying through the still, quiet night. As it faded an owl hooted as if it was replying to the call.

Morgan listened to the silence, wanting to hear something other than the natural sounds of the woods. Wanting to hear an answer to the call but something inside him told him that there wouldn't be one. That even if Reid was somewhere around here, he wouldn't be able to answer them. ~_And that is a big if, _~ Morgan thought as the beam of his flashlight cut through the darkness of the trees surrounding them. ~_We have no idea where this guy may have taken him_.~ Morgan could feel the frustration building once again. ~_I never should have left him alone. If anything happens to him _. . . ~

What sounded like a faint voice in the distance caught his attention and brought Morgan out of his thoughts. The federal agent stopped walking and listened carefully, searching for the sound that though faint, was a human voice.

"Morgan?" Hudson asked. His teammate held up his hand as an indication for him to remain quiet.

Both agents listened carefully. Hearing the faint voice more clearly, Morgan nodded in that direction to let Hudson know to follow and drew his gun. Drawing his own weapon, Hudson followed. The two agents made their way stealthy through the woods, pausing to listen every few moments. The voice got louder as they walked, but no was replying to whatever was being said.

_~Does that mean there's no one to reply or whoever is there is unable to reply_? ~ Morgan wondered as he and Hudson continued to stealthily make their way through the woods.

Seeing the trees thin out into a clearing ahead, Morgan turned his light off, with Hudson doing likewise on his right. They didn't want to give away their presence prematurely. After making sure that Hudson was keeping pace with him, Morgan continued on. The two federal agents came to a stop behind the trees on the edge of the clearing. From their cover, they took in the scene that was illuminated by the soft glow of the moon in the clear sky above.

A figure stood in the center of the clearing with what looked like a mallet held in one hand. The person was standing over someone who had been secured to the ground. Movement told the agents the person was alive and conscious though they couldn't make an identification in the current light.

~_Please let us have found Reid, _~ Morgan silently pleaded, glancing over at Hudson. His eyes had adjusted to the low light, and he could make out the outline of his partner.

Above them, the sound of rotors signaled that the search helicopter had moved into the area. Glancing to the clearing, Morgan saw the UnSub had noticed too. Now was the time to move before the approaching helicopter spooked the guy. He glanced back to Hudson and when he had his partner's attention, Morgan started counting to three on his fingers. One finger. Two. Three.

"FBI! Don't move!" Morgan shouted, as both he and Hudson leveled their weapons at the figure standing in the clearing.

The man holding the mallet paused and looked in their direction before dropping the item and sprinting away from them. Morgan heard a gunshot ring out as Hudson fired his weapon just as the man bolted. Soon both FBI agents were running into the clearing.

"Check on the victim," Hudson called as he sprinted out in front of Morgan in pursuit of the UnSub.

Even as Hudson was saying the words, Morgan was already heading in that direction. He turned his flashlight back on as he hurried into the clearing, the sound of the helicopter getting louder. Getting closer, he could tell that they had found Reid. He felt relief as he reached teammate's side, despite the fact that Reid was breathing heavy and had his eyes closed.

"Reid, can you hear me?" Morgan asked as he knelt down next to Reid, putting his gun in its holster. He placed the flashlight on the ground beside him. As he reached out to untie the gag encircling Reid's head, the younger agent opened his eyes. Morgan felt thankful for that small sign of life. "You're safe now, Reid. I've got you," he told his teammate calmly, trying to reassure him.

Morgan got the knot out of the cloth gag and pulled it from Reid's mouth quickly before tossing it aside. Reid took in a gasp of air that lead to a coughing fit.

"Easy, Reid. Slow, deep breaths," Morgan said softly, his eyes watching his teammate even as he pulled out his cell phone. Hitting the button to dial Gideon's number, he put the phone to ear. Gideon answered almost immediately.

"Gideon. Go ahead."

"Gideon we've got Reid. Hudson's in pursuit of the UnSub."

"Nichols has a read on your cell phone, and is tracking Hudson's too," Gideon informed him. "The search helicopter is in that area. We'll tell the pilots to try to pinpoint the UnSub. Do you require medical assistance?"

Reid had his eyes closed again, but was breathing easier at this point.

"I'll call you back shortly and let you know," Morgan told him, before putting the phone away.

As Morgan reached out to untie Reid's hands, the younger agent spoke. He could see bruises on the side of Reid's face and wondered if that was the extent of his injuries. The head of the mallet the UnSub had dropped rested on Reid's shin. Morgan wasn't even sure if Reid was aware of it.

"I didn't know if you guys would find me or not," Reid finally said, able to speak now that coughing fit had passed. His voice wavered with the emotions that he was struggling to keep under control.

The clearing was lit up by the search light of the police helicopter and it hovered on them for a moment before moving on in the direction Hudson had disappeared.

Morgan glanced briefly up at it before returning his attention to his task. "We did, Reid. You're safe. I'll have you untied soon," Morgan said, struggling to keep his own emotions in check. Now was not the time to give into the guilt. He still needed to fully assess his teammate's condition.

Morgan was finally able to work the knot in the rope loose and quickly unwound it from around Reid's wrists, the marks the ropes had left behind visible even in the small light from his flashlight. Before he knew what was happening, he felt Reid throw his arms around him in a hug. It took a moment for Morgan to get over his surprise from the action, but he still slipped an arm around the younger agent, holding him close. Morgan straightened up, pulling Reid into a sitting position as he did so. He listened to his teammate's voice trying to understand what he was saying.

Reid's words were coming frantically, but were muffled and almost incomprehensible since he speaking into Morgan's shoulder. Morgan did catch the words - 'find me', 'scared', and 'die' though, so he could get a pretty good idea of what Reid was going on about.

"It's okay, Kid," Morgan said calmly, the nickname slipping out unconsciously and easily. "You're safe. I've got you," he continued, trying to reassure the younger agent, even as he put his other arm around him. He could feel Reid's racing heartbeat as the younger agent clung to him.

Morgan felt a new wave of guilt wash over him. ~_This was way too close. If that guy had gotten enough time to swing that mallet . . . ~ _Morgan let the thought drift off, not wanting to finish it. ~_This is all my fault. I should have been looking out for him, and instead I let this happen, ~ _he thought. He was thankful that it hadn't turned out worse and that they had found Reid before he had been seriously injured.

Morgan knew he needed to finish untying Reid and evaluating his condition so he could update Gideon. He wasn't sure how far he and Hudson had walked but they had spent about an hour and a half out looking for Reid. The walk back, though shorter, was going to take a while. He needed to determine if Reid could make that walk or if they needed to bring the personnel in here to carry him out. Before he could make an attempt to free himself from the younger agent's grasp though, Morgan caught the sound of a branch snapping nearby and immediately drew his gun. Left arm still around Reid, with his gun held in the right, the federal agent scanned the tree line of the clearing, looking for the source of the sound. It wasn't long before he could make out an approaching light.

"FBI! Who's there?" Morgan called out.

"It's just me, Morgan! It's Hudson!"

Morgan didn't relax his guard until he saw Hudson step out of the tree and into the clearing, hands raised slightly. With a sigh of relief, Morgan lowered his gun and then holstered it.

"I lost the guy," Hudson said, frustration evident in his voice as he walked toward them. "The police helicopter is still attempting to locate him."

"Can you finish untying Reid?" Morgan asked, thinking he wouldn't have given up so easily but refraining from saying it. _~Hudson always has been a little less impulsive than me, though, _~ Morgan conceded seeing the logic in not stumbling around the woods without back-up.

Hudson nodded as he finished closing the distance to his two teammates. Though still clinging to him tightly, Reid had fallen silent. Morgan started asking the younger agent questions, trying to assess the younger agent's condition. Hudson took out a pocket knife as he knelt down, quickly cutting through the ropes that bound Reid's ankles.

"Think you can stand up?" Morgan asked.

When Reid nodded and finally pulled back from him, Morgan let go of the younger agent. Getting to his own feet, Morgan then reached down to help the younger agent stand. With Hudson's help, they soon had their teammate on his feet, though Reid still seemed a little unsteady so each of them kept a hold of one of his arms. In the light from their flashlights, neither agent missed the wince of pain from the younger agent as he put weight on his left leg.

"Maybe we should bring the paramedics out here," Morgan said, thinking of the ambulance that was on call back at the command post.

"No, I'll be fine," Reid said stubbornly, pulling free of both his teammates. He took a couple of unsteady steps before Hudson had grabbed a hold of him again, probably keeping the younger agent from falling. "Okay, a little help might be in order," Reid consented, "but I don't need the paramedics."

Morgan didn't respond right away. He had a feeling Reid was trying to put on a tough act to save face with him and Hudson. Instead of arguing with him, Hudson and Morgan got on either side their teammate and pulled one of his arms across their shoulders. They let Reid take a few more steps, although Morgan could tell he and Hudson were bearing most of Reid's weight. There was no way Reid could make the walk back to the command post without aggravating whatever injury was present.

"What hurts?" Morgan asked, discouraging Reid from taking any more steps.

"The left ankle," Reid admitted reluctantly.

Morgan looked around and spotting a fallen tree, suggested they go that way, telling Reid not to put any weight on the sore ankle. Reaching the tree, they eased Reid into a sitting position on the log. Morgan shared a look with Hudson, silently telling the other agent to call for medical assistance. The dark-skinned profiler already knew he wasn't letting Reid make the walk back to the command post. Now, he just had to convince the younger profiler that option was in his best interests over physically restraining him until help arrived, especially given what the younger agent had just gone through.

Hudson nodded and walked a few steps away to call Gideon. Morgan knelt down in front of Reid and carefully removed the shoe and sock on the left ankle. Shining the flashlight on it, Morgan could see that it was swollen, though there was no visible bruising.

"My guess is that the ankle is sprained," Morgan said, slipping the sock back on and placing the shoe on the ground nearby.

"I think I may have twisted it trying to get away from the guy," Reid said, trying to recall all the details of what had taken place back at the vehicles. His mind still felt a bit hazy.

Morgan glanced up at Reid. "It's a pretty far walk back to the parking area; you'd aggravate you ankle more. You got two options: wait for the medics or let me carry you out of here. Either way, but I'm not letting you walk on that ankle until you get medical attention. So option one or two?"

"I can make it. It doesn't . . ."

"I'm not arguing with you about this, Kid. I gave you your choices."

"Medics," Reid softly replied, crossing his arms.

As Morgan knew that Hudson was already telling Gideon that they needed the paramedics, the fact that he got Reid to consent to their help would mean less of a fight when they arrived. Watching his teammate, Morgan realized Reid was shivering even with the windbreaker he was still wearing. As he wasn't wearing a jacket, Morgan turned ready to ask Hudson for his. He didn't get far; Hudson was already taking off the light jacket he was wearing as he came up beside him.

"Medics are on the way," Hudson said, walking past Morgan and draping his jacket around Reid's shoulders.

The younger agent looked up at his teammate in surprise. "Thanks," Reid said softly.

Hudson nodded in response as he continued speaking. "Nichols estimates that it's going to take about forty-five minutes to reach us."

"The UnSub has his next victim already targeted," Reid blurted out as he put together what the man had told him. "He said this was a distraction while he conducted his final scene. He could be headed there now."

"If he's on foot he won't get far. The Alabama police will get him," Morgan replied.

"And if they don't! We need to figure out where he might strike next."

"Reid, this can wait," Morgan said, not wanting the younger agent to get worked up again. He sat down on the log next to Reid. "As soon as we get you checked out the rest of . . ."

"If we wait, it might be too late!" Reid said interrupting him.

"We don't even know where he would have been heading after leaving here," Hudson argued.

"Yes, we do. He'll stick with Misery. He has to. He said he needed to go conduct his final scene. This wasn't it," Reid said, waving a hand to the clearing.

"Okay, then. You know the book," Hudson said. "What kind of area would the UnSub want to carry out his plans?"

Reid started reciting the plot summary of the book, trying to pick out details that the UnSub might use as criteria to pick his spot while doing so. Things that for the UnSub, would make his performance catch the spirit of the novel. Seeing this as a distraction from the situation they were in and the ordeal their teammate had just gone through, even if it didn't accomplish anything useful, Morgan and Hudson helped him brainstorm. By the time they heard voices approaching their position, they had an idea of areas to search for if the UnSub should elude the police combing the area for him.

Nichols voice came floating through the night air. "They should be right around here."

"We're over here," Morgan called out.

Moments later, Gideon, Nichols, two paramedics, and three other police officers became visible. Morgan and Hudson moved away from Reid to give the paramedics room to get to their teammate.

"Were they able to catch the guy?" Hudson asked Nichols as he took a few steps away. Although, based on the unease of the police officers that had come with them, Hudson was guessing no.

Nichols shook his head. "They weren't able to pick up his trail. State Police have got road blocks up but we don't have a very good description of the guy, unless Junior is able to give us one."

Beisde Nichols, Gideon listened as the other agents talked.

"Reid said it was too dark for him to get a good look at him. Best description we've got is about six-foot three and broad shouldered. Apparently he carried Reid, while the kid was unconscious, this far, so he's got to be strong," Hudson said.

"Not a lot of help," Nichols commented, getting agreement from his teammates.

"Reid's convinced he'll continue with Misery. The UnSub said he was ready to carry out his next attack. We've got some ideas on places to stake out if he does follow through with his plans," Morgan said.

Gideon nodded, motioning to Sgt. Cooper, who had come with them. The Alabama state trooper joined them. "Hudson, fill Sgt. Cooper in on what the three of you have come up with. He can get the stakeouts set up in possible areas."

"Yes, sir," Hudson replied.

"Morgan, let's go talk over there," Gideon said, pointing toward an area away from the other personnel.

Knowing he was about to receive one hell of a lecture, Morgan nodded and followed the unit chief. Gideon walked far enough away to be out of the hearing of the others before turning to face his subordinate.

"Just how did this even happen?" Gideon asked, his voice cold. "I told you to keep an eye on him. "

"I figured the call would turn out to be another wild goose chase, and Reid was starting to look freaked out again, I thought it would be best just to leave him at the car while Hudson and I checked things out. I didn't think anything would happen to him."

"Didn't I tell you not to let him out of your sight?"

"Yes."

"What part of those instructions didn't you understand?" Gideon asked. Figuring that the question was rhetorical and that the unit chief really didn't expect an answer, Morgan kept his mouth shut. "He's only been out of the academy for two months. Two months out of a two year probationary period. He should be supervised in the field."

"I know."

"I trusted you to do that. I trusted you to have his back."

"I know, Gideon. Do you think I don't know that I screwed up?" Morgan replied, holding his supervisor's gaze.

"Then you and Hudson go off in the woods by yourselves, without waiting for back-up. We could have ended up with three agents missing out here instead of just one."

"That was my call. Don't blame Hudson for that," Morgan said, thinking of his teammate's protest to his actions. "He was just backing his partner up and I didn't think there was time to wait and there wasn't. We got here just when the UnSub was ready to strike. Reid's injuries are less severe than they would have been if he hadn't been found when he was."

"So that's supposed to make everything all right?"

"No. I realize I should've waited for back-up according to procedure, and I will accept full responsibilities for that action, but I don't regret it."

"Technically, you should both be suspended for endangering the lives of fellow agents and other personnel. Do you realize that?"

"It's on me. Hudson shouldn't be held accountable."

"You're willing to accept full responsibility for everything that happened tonight?"

"Yes," Morgan replied, without hesitation.

"Fine. We'll finish dealing with this when we get back home. For the duration of this case, you will obey every order I give you to the letter, without complaint. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Morgan replied.

Gideon nodded. Before he was able to say anything else though, raised voices drew their attention. Looking toward the group they could see Hudson kneeling on the ground next to the backboard that held Reid. Not far away, one of the paramedics was standing and shooting daggers at the federal agent.

"Now what?" Gideon muttered, heading in that direction. Morgan silently followed.

"The straps are for your safety. We're not trying to restrain you," Hudson was saying quietly, as the two joined the group. His eyes were holding Reid's gaze and his voice was calm. There was no trace of the sarcasm or hostility that had usually been there in the past. Hudson took one of Reid's hands and placed it on the buckle of the strap securing him to the board at chest level. "See the buckle is right there. Your hands are free and you can reach it. You're not trapped, so just try to stay calm."

They saw Reid nod slightly.

"Where's Morgan?" Reid asked.

"Talking with Gideon. He'll be back shortly."

Stepping around Gideon, Morgan moved closer, kneeling down next to Hudson.

"I'm right here, Kid," Morgan said, reaching out to take the hand that Hudson had been holding.

Reid squeezed Morgan's hand as he closed his eyes, feeling safe for the first time since being left alone with the vehicle. More than that though, he finally felt as though he had been accepted as a member of the team. He knew he still had a lot to learn, but his teammates would help him learn those things.

Under the paramedics' instructions, Nichols and Hudson moved to help lift the backboard. As the group headed back to where everything had started, Morgan walked alongside Reid, with the younger agent's hand still gripping his own. Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that as bad as this was, it could have turned out much worse.


	35. Part of the Team

AN: So, here's the new chapter finally. Sorry my beta had technical issues in getting this back to me so I'm just now finishing the edits. Plus the chapter is a bit longer than the others. Hope you all enjoy!

* * *

By the time the group reached the parking area, only the park rangers, two police cars, the FBI's two black SUVs and the ambulance remained. The other personnel has been dismissed, Sgt. Cooper having ordered them to search the areas that were potential hideouts for the UnSub. As Gideon and the others made their way out of the woods, the lone police officer that remained on scene approached Sgt. Cooper.

"The checkpoints are still in place on all roads leading away from the park, Sgt.," the officer said.

Gideon didn't hear the rest of the state trooper's update as he lead the paramedics and fellow FBI agents toward the waiting ambulance. Reaching the vehicle first, Gideon pulled open the back doors of the ambulance. Listening to the lead paramedics' instructions, Gideon and Morgan pulled the gurney out of the back of the ambulance and the back board was placed on it. The federal agents then moved out of the paramedic's way as they prepared their patient for transport.

"Morgan, go to the hospital with Reid," Gideon ordered.

"What? I should be going after the guy who did this!"

"You should? You _should_ have kept an eye on Reid in the first place," Gideon said, putting a stop to the protest. "Besides, I want someone at the hospital with him, and your presence seems to comfort him right now," the unit chief told him, remembering Reid asking Hudson where Morgan was back in the woods. "He trusts you, Morgan."

"Yeah, right. I think I'm the one Reid trusts the least right about now," Morgan replied. ~_I'm the reason he's going to the hospital,_~ he added silently even as he remembered Reid asking Hudson where he was. "It doesn't make sense, Gideon. He_ shouldn't_ trust me."

" But he does, Morgan," Gideon said, softening his tone a bit. "Whether it's because of the time you two have spent together on this case, or the fact that you were the one to find him tonight, I don't know and right now I don't care. This isn't open for discussion. This is an order, and based on our earlier discussion, I expect you to follow it."

"Yes, sir," was Morgan's clipped reply. Hanging around the hospital with nothing to do but wait for information did not appeal to him. He would rather be out there trying to catch the man responsible.

"And I expect an update on his condition as soon as you have one," Gideon told him. "We'll keep you updated on the case."

Morgan nodded in acknowledgment of the order.

"Anyone coming with us?" the one paramedic asked, as he and his partner started loading the gurney into the back of the ambulance.

"Me," Morgan replied, breaking away from his teammates to climb into the back of the ambulance with Reid and one of the paramedics.

Gideon, Nichols, and Hudson watched as the other paramedic closed the door and then headed for the driver's seat.

"You know I could have gone with him," Nichols said as the ambulance started to pull away.

Gideon shook his head. "Morgan's too emotional right now. The last thing I need to deal with is keeping him under control when we actually do find this guy. Beisdes, Reid seemed comfortable with Morgan and I need your expertise," he added, looking away from the retreating ambulance and over at the computer specialist.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Reid said the book takes place at a secluded cabin. According to Sgt. Cooper there are quite a few cabins surrounding Lake Guntersville, both part of resorts and privately owned. Granted, the state cops will be staking out as many as possible but there is no way to keep them all under surveillance. I need you to get us as much information as possible on the cabins in the area. Get satellite images if possible. We need to figure out which cabins are the most secluded because those are the mostly likely targets for our UnSub."

Nichols nodded. "I'll get right on it, Boss," the computer specialist replied, heading toward the SUV that contained the laptops he had with them.

"We've got to find this guy," Hudson said, following Nichols as Gideon headed toward Sgt. Cooper. "No one is safe until we do."

"We'll get him," Nichols assured him. "Though right about now I wish I had Junior's eidetic memory. We're going to have to narrow down possible cabins based on what Reid told us, and since there wasn't time to take notes, we have to rely on memory."

"I think I remember most of what he said," Hudson replied. "Just don't ask me to quote him."

Nichols gave a small laugh at the comment as they reached the SUV. Opening the back hatch, the computer specialist was soon getting one of the two laptops he had with him out of its case. Hudson turned and leaned back against the vehicle, watching his teammate.

"So, you seemed kind of calm out there," Hudson said after a moment of silence, nodding his head in the direction they had come. "I would have thought you'd be rushing to Reid's side."

"I wanted to," Nichols admitted not looking away from the computer screen as the bureau logo appeared. "However, in order to stay in control and stay focused on this case, I can't let myself dwell too much on how Junior is. He's alive and getting the medical attention he needs. Right now, I need to focus on getting the SOB that hurt him."

Hudson stared at his teammate. In the time he had worked with him, he had only seen Nichols lose his calm, professional, and light-hearted manner a handful of times, and he'd never heard the computer specialist resort to any kind of foul language.

"I've never seen you like this, Nichols," Hudson commented as he watched the computer specialist plug in a device to get an Internet connection. Soon Nichols' fingers were flying over the keyboard. "Reid's really gotten to you hasn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess he has. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I can identify with him, or maybe it was because you, Morgan, and the others in the office gave him such a hard time in the beginning," Nichols said, with a shrug of his shoulders. With his eyes on the screen and his hands quickly moving over the keyboard, Hudson thought the computer specialist was trying a bit too hard to look busy. Just when Hudson thought Nichols wasn't going to say anything else, that he'd keep the obviously troubling thoughts to himself, the older agent said quietly, "or it could be his age. Did you know that Reid's only seven years older than Tara?"

"No. I didn't," Hudson said, not sure what else to say. Before he could think of anything, Nichols changed the subject back to the task at hand.

"I've got the addresses of all the cabins surrounding Guntersville Lake and several satellite photos of the area. Let's see if we can't pinpoint a likely target."

Hudson straightened up and moved to stand behind his teammate. "We'll get this guy," he told Nichols, letting his hand rest briefly on the computer specialist's shoulder before he too focused on the task at hand. "First thing we can do is disregard any cabins within close proximity of one another. The UnSub needs a secluded spot."

* * *

After having been forced to wait in the ER waiting room when they had first gotten to the hospital, SSA Derek Morgan once again found himself sitting in a hospital waiting room. He had his elbows resting on his knees, hands dangling in between his legs. His gaze was focused on a stain in the carpet not far in front of him.

A nurse had brought him here, after he had spoken with an ER doctor twenty minutes ago. After x-rays and tests, the doctors had determined that Reid's injuries were not too serious. There were no broken bones, though his ribs on the right side were bruised, as was the right side of his face. His ankle had a severe sprain, the doctor explaining that Reid would have to keep his weight off of it for the next three days and then slowly increase his activity. As far as they could determine, there were no adverse effects from the chloroform that Reid had been knocked out with or from the cleaning agent on the gag. However, they were keeping Reid for observation because of those last two things. The doctor had told Morgan he could see Reid as soon as the younger agent was settled in his room.

After calling Gideon to give him an update on Reid's condition and receiving an update on the case, Morgan had been left with nothing to do but wait. Wait and think about how badly he had screwed up tonight. This wasn't the first time he had made a huge mistake, but it was the first time that someone else had paid for it. He didn't know how he was ever going to make things right. To earn his teammate's trust again. They were supposed to have one another's backs, and he hadn't done that tonight.

"Agent Morgan."

Morgan looked up at the single word. He saw a blonde nurse standing in the doorway. It was the same one who had shown him to the waiting room.

"You can go see your co-worker now," she said, a smile gracing her features.

Morgan stood up and walked across the room.

"Fourth room down on your right," the nurse told him, stepping aside to give him room to step into the hallway. "He was kind of drowsy from the pain medication he was given when I left him, so he might be asleep, but feel free to go on in."

"Thanks," he told her, before starting slowly in that direction.

Morgan heard his footsteps on the floor of the hallway, despite the sounds of the hospital. He wasn't really sure what he was doing. ~_Gideon had to have it wrong; Reid would be more comfortable with Nichols here. But even though I'm the reason the kid's here, I still need to see him. Need to see for myself that he's okay. Besides, Gideon did order me to come to the hospital and while he didn't say that I needed to be in Reid's room, I have a feeling that's what he meant,_~ Morgan told himself as he made his way down the corridor.

Reaching the room, Morgan stepped into the doorway, glad that though there were two beds, the second one was empty. His teammate laid in the one closest the window. Reid's eyes were closed, and the overhead light at the head of the bed clearly showed the vivid bruises on the young agent's face, a stark contrast to his pale skin. The sheet and blanket were pulled neatly up to chest level, his arms resting at his sides, on top of the blanket.

Taking a deep breath, Morgan let it out slowly before stepping into the room. He approached the bedside slowly, resting his hands on the top of the silver rail. Reid made no indication that he was aware of his presence.

"I'm so sorry, Kid," Morgan said softly, knowing he would need to repeat the apology later when Reid was awake, but needing to say the words now for himself.

"That's the fourth time you've called me that," Reid said, sleepily, his eyes fluttering open. "I may be younger than other agents but I have reached the age of majority, which is the fixed age at which the government sets as the transition between childhood and adulthood. In this country most states recognize that age as eighteen, but as we're in Alabama one wouldn't reach the age of majority until they're nineteen, and in Mississippi it's twenty-one. But it doesn't matter regardless , because I'm over the age of majority as recognized by the United States Government."

Morgan found himself smiling. "That may be true, but when you're the youngest member of a group, it isn't unusual for the other members to see you that way. Besides, there have been several people in history who have been nicknamed The Kid, Ted Williams for one. He got that nickname when he was nineteen. During spring training when Johnny Orlando made the comment 'the kid has arrived'. Orlando still called Williams that twenty years later."

"Fair enough," Reid consented, his eyes drifting shut briefly.

"See, you're not the only one who knows trivial information, mine just has a limited area of expertise."

"Never meant to imply otherwise."

"I know," Morgan told him. "You don't seem to mind Nichols calling you Junior," the dark-skinned agent remarked.

Reid shrugged, wincing slightly at the movement. "Nichols seems to like nicknames, and it's the first time anyone's ever given me a nickname as a sign of friendship, so I don't mind. I don't really mind you calling me Kid either, if you wanted to. When you think about it, it would be fitting, keeping with the baseball theme. Ken Griffey Jr. had both nicknames - The Kid and Junior."

"Great, you know sports, too," Morgan said, trying to sound annoyed but the attempt fell short, the words softened by the humor in his voice.

"However, I wouldn't know why you would want to after tonight."

Morgan's smile faded, as he looked quizzically down at his teammate. "What?" he asked, not following the younger agent's train of thought. ~_Somehow I think that word is going to get a lot of use working with Reid, _~ he contemplated, even as he waited for an answer.

"Call me by a nickname, as if you accept me as part of the team. I have a feeling that after tonight you and Hudson are even more convinced that I don't deserve to be on this team. I can't even do something as simple as waiting with the vehicle without getting myself into trouble. Then when you found me I let my emotions get the better of me," Reid said, feeling the heat rise in his cheeks at the memory of him clinging to Morgan and babbling. He couldn't even remember what all he had said. "I'm the one that should be apologizing."

"Reid, you have nothing to apologize for. You didn't do anything wrong. You were following orders from someone who outranked you. The responsibility for the consequences of those orders falls on me," Morgan told him. "As for your reaction when I found you, it's completely understandable," Morgan told him, thinking of his own struggle to control his emotions at that moment.

"I'm supposed to be a FBI agent. Babbling incoherently while clinging to a teammate is hardly appropriate behavior."

"You're also human and had just gone through a very intense ordeal. And you _are_ an FBI agent. Besides, Kid," Morgan paused to emphasize his use of the nickname, "no one is going to fault you for your reaction."

"Hudson is going to have a field day with it," Reid said, looking up at the ceiling to avoid Morgan's gaze.

"He won't," Morgan said, trying to put more conviction in his voice that what he really felt. The dark-skinned agent wasn't really sure what Hudson would do. Granted he had been nicer to Reid recently and had been supportive out in the field, but Morgan wasn't sure what he would be like back at the office. Would Hudson talk about Reid's emotional reaction to being found the first chance he got? ~_If he does, Gideon will be the least of his worries, _~ Morgan added silently. "And what happened before he got back will stay between you and me, Kid. You've got my word on that."

Reid nodded, the words putting him a bit more at ease.

"Besides, you pulled yourself together out there. They wouldn't have any leads on the UnSub to be following right now if it wasn't for the information you gave us."

"Have they found him?"

"Not yet," Morgan replied with a shake of his head. "They will though," he added, watching Reid nod in acknowledgment. "And as for deserving to be a part of this team, you convinced me long ago that you can contribute to this team. I guess maybe I should have told you that before now."

"So I guess I just have to convince Hudson."

"I think you already have," Morgan told him, thinking of Hudson's remark about Reid giving the guy one hell of a fight. Neither of them had expected the young genius to hold his own in a physical fight, Morgan hadn't even considered practicing with Reid in the gym for that reason. He'd been afraid he'd hurt the kid. ~_He certainly proved me wrong though_,~ he thought as he continued. "We got a look at both the signs of the struggle left at the trail parking area and a brief glance at the size of that guy. As Hudson said to me earlier tonight, it looked like you gave him one hell of fight."

"It wasn't enough."

"Reid, the guy was bigger than me. If he took me by surprise, he would probably have overpowered me."

"Somehow I doubt that," Reid replied, realizing the older agent was trying to make him feel better.

"Well, it definitely wouldn't have been an easy fight, and I never should have left you alone to begin with. Rest assured though, I won't make that mistake again."

"You can't protect me from everything."

"Probably not, but I can certainly try," Morgan told him.

Reid lifted his hand up off the blanket and Morgan reached down and took it in his own. Morgan could see that the younger agent was fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Morgan, it wasn't your fault."

"I should have never told you to stay at the car. You should've been with me and Hudson."

"The guy was waiting there. He planned on taking one of us," Reid told him, recalling the UnSub's words. "If it hadn't happened tonight then it might have happened somewhere else at another time."

"Which only goes to show you why it's important that we stick together out in the field. I lost sight of that and you had to pay for it. It's not a mistake I plan on repeating."

"I still don't blame you," Reid told him.

Morgan swallowed hard and looked up at the ceiling. He didn't feel like crying often, but right now his was fighting the stinging in his eyes. He felt Reid squeeze his hand slightly. Neither of them said anything for a few minutes.

"If we don't catch the UnSub before he kills his next victim there is no telling what novel he is going to try acting out next," Reid said, totally switching the topic since the previous one was getting a bit too personal for his liking, and he had a feeling Morgan felt the same way. "This is our best chance to catch him."

"We're all aware of that. Gideon, Hudson, and Nichols are going to do their best to locate him before he gets to his next victim. But don't worry about the case right now. Let our teammates handle things. You've done your part."

Reid nodded slightly as his eyes drifted shut again. Knowing that rest was the best thing for the younger agent, Morgan remained quiet waiting to see if his teammate would drift off to sleep. The older man stood quietly until he felt the hand he was holding going limp. Placing Reid's hand gently on top of the blanket, Morgan glanced around the room. Spotting a chair in the corner, he pulled it over to the bedside, settling in to wait for news from one of the others.

* * *

After managing to lose local law enforcement in the state park, the UnSub had decided to go through with his original plan. He assumed the officers would concentrate their search for him south of the state park, in the direction he had been fleeing. His target was in the opposite direction, so he figured it would be a while before they would be looking that way for him. Even though things hadn't gone as planned, that was no reason to scrap the next phase. He had broken into and hot-wired the first vehicle he could find that didn't look like it had an alarm system, and headed to the cabin for his final scene.

As for the FBI agents, yes they had discovered him but they hadn't caught him. Taking care of their fellow agent should occupy them up for a little while, though not as long as he had hoped. He hadn't anticipated them being able to track him so easily. _~ I shouldn't have waited so long. I should have just acted out his scene and left the area_,~ he scolded himself.

~_Oh well, lesson learned, _~ he thought, turning the car onto the dirt road that led back to the cabin, not noticing the black SUV that sat along the side of the road further ahead.

The UnSub drove half the distance toward the cabin and then left the vehicle. He would walk the rest of the way, not wanting the sound of the car's engine to awaken his unsuspecting supporting actor. He needed surprise on his side.

Having already mapped out his route, he traversed the terrain quickly. Coming out of the woods just off the driveway, he quickly darted across the clearing and up the front steps of the porch. Moving in close to the door, he took out a small flashlight and the thin piece of metal he had been using to pick the lock. He had gotten good at the technique and didn't expect it to be long before he was walking inside the cabin. He heard the click of the lock as it moved out of the way and grasped the doorknob. The sound of a second click made him pause.

"FBI! Hands on your head!"

The UnSub realized that the second sound had been made by a gun. He quickly calculated his options. If he struck fast enough, he might be able to take the agent behind him by surprise. However, the likelihood of the guy being by himself was not good. Though he might get a jump on the agent behind him, the action would probably get him shot by another agent.

Dropping the flashlight and piece of metal onto the porch, the UnSub slowly raised his hands and placed them on the back of his head.

"We've got you covered, Nichols," Gideon said from his spot on the right side of the porch, taking aim through two of the vertical supports of the railing. At the foot of the steps, Hudson also had the UnSub in his sight.

Agent Nichols holstered his weapon and then took the cuffs off his belt, grabbing the UnSub's right hand and bringing it down behind his back.

"You are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used in a court of law," Nichols said, starting to read the man his rights as he placed the cuff around the other hand. He heard footsteps behind him and knew that Hudson was coming up onto the porch.

"Took you guys long enough, didn't it," the UnSub taunted, interrupting Nichols. "Guess you're about as good of agents as that skinny guy is at acting. He had absolutely no talent."

Nichols tightened the cuff a bit more than was necessary as he continued the Miranda rights. "You have the right to an attorney . . ."

"You know your pal really couldn't act worth a damn. I do regret not being able to finish the scene though. The only thing that agent could act out was fear - he could have been in one of those cheap horror flicks - so my scene would have been legendary."

"Your final curtain has dropped," Nichols said vehemently. "Why don't you just shut up?"

"Because my scene would have made me a legend. The audience would have tasted his fear."

Nichols scowled, "I thought I told you to shut up!"

"Ah, struck a nerve did I? That wimp something special to you?"

"I can't do this," Nichols said, barely suppressing the urge to shove the guy into the still closed cabin door. He turned to Hudson. "You read him his rights," Nichols said, turning the suspect over to his teammate and heading down the porch steps.

The sound of approaching sirens could now be heard, as the state troopers made their way to the site. Hudson began reciting the Miranda rights from the beginning as lights came on inside the cabin. Apparently what was going on inside had woken the cabin's occupant.

"Do you understand these rights?" Hudson asked the UnSub as Gideon joined him on the porch.

"Of course I do. I'm not stupid," the UnSub replied.

"That's debatable," Hudson muttered.

"You got him?" Gideon asked.

"Yeah. Shakespeare here and I are just going to go for a little walk to a police cruiser," Hudson replied. As he started to walk the suspect toward the steps, Gideon turned to knock on the front door, ready to explain what was going on to the cabin's occupant.

Two police cars were now parked in the driveway and Hudson walked the UnSub to the nearest one. The state trooper there opened the back door as they approached. As Hudson helped the suspect into the backseat, the guy hit his head on the top of the door frame.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"Sorry," Hudson replied, before slamming the car door shut. "Guess I forgot to tell you to watch your head," he added as he headed toward Nichols.

* * *

The sound of approaching footsteps broke through the light slumber Morgan had fallen into. Opening his eyes, he realized that at some point someone had turned off the main light in the room, leaving only the two nightlights to provide light. It was still bright enough in the room to make out the figure of Hotch walking across the room, though.

"Thought you were in Seattle?" Morgan murmured quietly as he sat up straighter in the chair, his hand going to the back of his neck in an attempt to massage out the stiffness there.

"The trial ended this afternoon, or should I say yesterday afternoon," Hotch said, as the clock had already moved past midnight. "I caught the first flight down here after Gideon told me what had happened," he said, coming to a stop at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry. I know I made a mistake leaving him alone."

Hotch nodded. "It's done and over with, but hopefully you've learned something," he replied, having calmed himself down enough that he could leave the discipline to Gideon. Being mad at Morgan wasn't going to help anyone. Besides everyone made mistakes, him included. Hotch knew he was going to have to justify his decision of letting Reid come down here with the team to the section chief, and he also knew that Strauss was not going to be happy. "He probably shouldn't have even been down here to start with. I'm his training agent. Ultimately, his safety is my responsibility. I should have told Gideon to leave him behind."

"We would be a lot further away from cracking this case without him," Morgan said.

Hotch nodded his head in acknowledgment of the statement. "How is he?"

Morgan told Hotch what he had been told by the ER doctor. As he finished, his cell phone vibrated indicating an incoming call. Glancing down at the screen, he saw Gideon's name. "Excuse me," he said, answering the call as he walked toward the door.

Hotch watched Morgan leave the room, but a soft groan drew his attention back to the young agent in the hospital bed. Moving to the head of the bed, Hotch saw Reid's eyes flutter as the genius stirred. The older agent watched silently as Reid opened his eyes briefly, his gaze falling on Hotch, before they closed again. Even in his still half asleep state, the presence of his supervisor registered and Reid opened his eyes again.

"What are you doing here?" Reid asked slowly, having trouble forming the words due to the dryness of his mouth.

"Checking up on you. You know, I thought when your mother told me you had a tendency of attracting trouble she was stating normal fears any mother has for their child. Apparently, there was more to them than that," Hotch said, smiling.

Reid's 'sorry' was just barely understandable, as the dryness of his mouth still made speaking difficult. Hotch picked up the water pitcher on the bedside stand and poured some of its contents into a plastic cup. Helping the younger agent sit up a bit, Hotch held the cup for him as he took a few sips.

"Thanks," Reid said as he eased back against the pillow, a soft groan escaping his lips.

"You okay?" Hotch asked him, concerned.

"I'll be fine. Believe it or not I've been more bruised than this just from a day at high school."

Considering the extent of bruising that was visible, that remark gave Hotch a glimpse of what Reid's high school experience had been like.

Before either of them had a chance to say anything else, Morgan walked into the room, speaking as he did so.

"That was Gideon. They caught the UnSub when he tried to break into a secluded private cabin about twenty-five miles north of the state park. The guy was smart and lawyered-up as soon as they started asking questions. Hopefully his finger prints will match the couple that they were able to pull one from a bucket at the highschool and from the mallet from tonight. He got sloppy tonight which is a good thing for us. And word has it that the kid that was hit over the head at the high school has also regained consciousness. Police are hoping to be able to question him in the morning and that he'll be able to provide something useful."

"Unlike me," Reid said softly.

"Reid, if it was too dark to make out his face, it was too dark. You may be a genius, but even you're still human. You can't control everythin," Morgan told him.

Reid didn't bother trying to argue further. It was Hotch who broke the silence that fell over the room following that statement.

"Morgan, why don't you head back to the hotel and try to get some sleep."

"I'm fine," Morgan said. After his earlier conversation with Reid, Morgan felt more compelled to stay at the younger man's side than to deal with the UnSub. Adding to that, his guilt made him reluctant to leave even though he knew Reid was going to be okay.

The look that Hotch shot him clearly said that the older agent wasn't accepting that answer.

"Someone should stay here with Reid," Morgan tried instead.

"I don't . . ."

"I'm staying," Hotch said, his statement drowning out Reid's protests about not needing someone to stay with him.

"You're probably tired after your long flight here," Morgan countered.

"Guys, it's really not . . ."

"I've probably gotten more sleep than you have the last few days. I've been doing this job longer than you have - I know the hours. What time did you get up yesterday morning?"

"What does that matter?"

Before Hotch could answer the question a nursing assistant knocked on the door, and stepped into the doorway. She reached out and flipped on the room's lights before speaking.

"Can I get you something?" she asked. All three men looked in her direction as she let her gaze drift to her patient, awaiting his answer to the question.

Finally having silence so that he could be heard, Reid replied. "Something for the headache coming from listening to these two argue."

"I'm sorry, sirs, but if your presence is disturbing the patient then I am going to have to ask you to leave," the woman said, glancing at Hotch and Morgan.

"We understand," Hotch told her. He also realized that Reid had rung the call bell in order to get their attention. Glancing over at the younger agent, he continued. "And we get the message, Reid. We'll both see you in the morning."

"Thanks," Reid replied. "Hopefully, they'll let me out here then."

"We'll have to arrange a jailbreak if they don't," Morgan said softly, having come to the same realization as Hotch had. "I don't know about you, but I am more than ready to get out of Alabama."

"If you need anything before we show up, just call," Hotch told him, as he started walking toward the door.

"I will, thanks. I appreciate the sentiment but the two of you need your rest too," Reid said, as Hotch followed Morgan past the nursing assistant and out the door.

"Night, Kid," Morgan called back, smiling at the younger agent's last words.

"Do you really need something for a headache?" the nursing assistant asked Reid as she walked over to turn off the call light. There was a slight smile on her lips.

Reid shook his head, his battered body immediately regretting the action. "No, I'm fine. Thanks."

"Of course. I'll be back to check on you later," she told him before leaving the room, turning the lights off as she left.

Alone now, Reid pulled the blankets up further as he turned his head to look out the window, even though there wasn't much to see from his vantage point. He couldn't help but feel a bit lonely now that he had sent his two co-workers away. Still, Morgan probably had a point about Hotch being tired from the flight from Seattle and Morgan had already been at the hospital for hours. It was nice to know that they had been willing to stay here with him, though. He hadn't experienced that too many times in his life since he had learned at a young age to look after himself.

In his head, he once again saw the replay of that incident with the football team. The incident that had made him wary of everyone that fit the jock stereotype. Wary of Morgan before he even got to know him. Yet he was finding that there was a lot about the older profiler that didn't fit that stereotype.

Moving slowly, Reid reached out and picked up his cell phone from where it had been placed on the bedside stand. With a groan he settled back down against the pillows. He had no intention of calling any of his teammates, but having the phone in his hand was a comfort. Just knowing he had a friend - or two - he could call on was still a fairly new feeling to him, despite having been with the team for the last two months. Though both Hotch and Nichols had told him to call if he needed anything, he had never taken them up on the offer. Never felt even comfortable with the idea. He had been on his own for so long that not relying on others was what came natural to him. He was starting to see that keeping to himself wasn't going to be possible with this team. He had been searching for a sense of belonging for the last two months, and the price for gaining that was going to be co-workers that weren't going to easily accept "I'm fine" as an answer to questions concerning his well-being.

Several more recent memories came to him, banishing the ones of the football team. He recalled Morgan giving him his coat in Maine or helping him put the bed together following that case. Then there were the talks he had with Hotch both in Maine and following the case up in Bangor. The Hotchners and Nichols making sure that he hadn't spent Christmas alone. Nichols making sure he ate something a few days ago. Morgan sitting by the bedside tonight. Even Hudson, despite acting like a jerk to him most of the time, had been different tonight. Was Morgan right? Had he finally convinced Hudson that he belonged on this team?

Reid couldn't come up with answers right now, but was starting to think it didn't really matter. Nichols, Gideon, Hotch, and now even Morgan seemed to like him, and having four people in one place that accepted him was a new concept for him. He was so use to people not liking him that one person on the team not accepting him wouldn't be that hard to deal with - though he was hoping that eventually he could at least gain some respect in Hudson's eyes.

As Reid closed his eyes, trying to fall back asleep he thought about Hotch and Morgan arguing over who was going to stay at the hospital with him. Somehow he had a feeling that there were going to be more incidents like that over the next few days. Just thinking about it, Reid started getting a feeling of being smothered. ~_Still, it's preferable to the bullying and ridicule from high school_, ~ Reid thought before sleep claimed him once again.


	36. Fresh Start

AN: Sorry about the delay. Real life got in the way for both me and my beta. As it is, I had a friend look this over for typos before posting (you know who you are and thanks!) but it wasn't beta'd by the friend whose been doing the last couple of chapters. Still, I wanted to get it up for you all. I do appreciate your support. As for next weeks update - no promises. We'll have to see what Irene says about that.

* * *

SSA Jason Gideon pulled into the parking spot outside of their hotel. It was with a mixture of both relief and disappointment that he pulled the key out of the ignition. He was relieved that this case was finally over. They had caught the UnSub and got one more dangerous person off the street. The Alabama State Police had thanked them for their help and said that they could handle things from this point on. Given the UnSub's reluctance to talk and the delusional nature of his statements when he had, Gideon didn't envy them that task. The BAU unit chief also had a feeling that the guy was heading for a mental facility and not jail, which given the number of people he had killed and the close call with Agent Reid, didn't sit well with the federal agent. Other than provide whatever testimony was requested when the case went to trial though, that decision was out of his hands.

As both Gideon and Nichols reached for the door handles, Hudson pulled the second SUV into the parking space next to them. The three federal agents climbed from the vehicles and head toward the entrance of the hotel. Given the lateness of the night, and the update from Morgan that Reid was being held for observational purposes, Gideon had decided not to head to the hospital. Not only was he sure the hospital staff wouldn't want the hassle of three more FBI agents hanging around but he knew that Reid would need his rest. It would be better for the three of them to drop in on their teammate at a more reasonable hour. Not to mention, glancing at the two agents he was walking with, Hudson and Nichols needed some rest themselves - the physical and emotional toll of this case showing in their posture and on their faces.

~_We're all going to need some recovery time after this one,_~ Gideon contemplated, as they walked. As much as he wanted to leave Alabama he also wondered if he shouldn't delay them returning home. As long as they were still down here, his team would have a bit of a break from the responsibilities of the job, though no decision could really be made until he knew when Reid would be released from the hospital at least one of them was going to have to stay behind with him. ~_And if it's going to be a short hospital stay, I can justify keeping us all down here until he's ready to come back with us,~ _Gideon said as the sound of a car pulling into the parking lot drew his attention.

Given the time of night, there wasn't much activity in the hotel parking lot, and all three federal agents looked to see the dark sedan pull into an empty parking place. As they stood watching it, two familiar forms emerged from the vehicle - Hotch and Morgan. At the sight of their teammates, Nichols, Gideon and Hudson came to a silent agreement to wait for them.

Morgan headed immediately in their direction, while Hotch paused only momentarily to grab his bags from the backseat of the sedan, on loan from the Alabama Police Department.

"Before you say anything, Reid sent me away," Morgan said, as he neared Gideon's position.

"Did I say anything?" Gideon replied, having anticipated Morgan wanting to stay at the hospital but not requiring it. The senior profiler noted that the dark-skinned agent did not seem happy about the arrangement. "Any word on when they'll release him?"

Morgan shook his head. "The doctor said he'll re-evaluate Reid in the morning and make a decision at that time, though I get the feeling that if they don't release him in the morning Reid is planning on leaving anyway."

"We'll see about that," Nichols commented softly as Hotch joined them.

The other federal agents glanced toward the computer specialist with amused expressions on their faces. From the look on Nichols' face, they all got the distinct impression that if he had anything to do with it, Reid would not be leaving the hospital until the doctor said it was okay.

"How about we all get some rest and we'll see where we stand later this morning?" Gideon told them all. "I'm sure you're all as tired as I am. I'll give you a 'departure time after Reid's doctor has given me an idea of when he'll be discharged."

Feeling too tired to argue, there were nods all around as the group continued into the hotel.

"We'll just share a room tonight," Gideon said to Hotch as the two of them followed Nichols, Morgan and Hudson across the lobby. "There are two beds and there's no reason to get a hotel room for what could turn out to be less than a twelve hour stay."

"You won't get any arguments from me," Hotch replied.

"So how did Reid get the two of you to leave the hospital anyway?" Gideon asked.

"He elicited the help of a nursing assistant believe it or not. It's kind of hard to argue with hospital staff who are asking you to leave because you're disturbing the patient."

Gideon allowed himself a smile. After the last week, it felt good to find something even the tiniest bit amusing.

"Well, he's resourceful. You've got to give him that," Gideon commented as the two reached the elevator and crowded into it with their other teammates. Gideon reached out and punched the button for their floor and the elevator began its ascent.

Hudson headed right for the bathroom upon entering his hotel room. Turning on the cold water, he cupped his hands and splashed the liquid onto his face. It had been a long day and he was feeling it - more emotionally than physically at this point. Sure, he had accepted the fact that he had been a jerk when it came to Spencer Reid, and it wasn't anything that the younger agent had control over. Reid hadn't done anything to him other than annoy him from time-to-time as the young genius couldn't be held responsible for taking a good opportunity when it was offered to him. Who wouldn't?

Hudson had been more than willing to leave things as they were. He had apologized to Nichols and Morgan already. Telling Gideon that he appreciated his patience with the situation wouldn't be hard after the conversation in the café the other day. After much internal debate, Hudson had decided not to go further than that with apologies and simply start treating Reid like he would any other agent in the bureau. He felt that would be enough. Or at least he had thought so until tonight's events. When he thought about how close it had come to Reid being seriously injured, Hudson felt as if the guilt was crushing him. If the UnSub had gotten a chance to swing that mallet . . . well Hudon didn't want to dwell on that too much.

Drying his face with a towel, Hudson was soon walking back out of his room. Walking the short distance to Morgan's room he was knocking on the door. It didn't take long for his teammate to open it.

"What is it?" Morgan asked, in a concerned and perplexed voice. As he wasn't wearing a shirt Hudson assumed he had caught his co-worker in the middle of getting ready for bed.

"Can we talk?"

Morgan looked at Hudson for a moment trying to size up the situation. Deciding that asking his teammate if this could wait until wasn't a wise choice, he opened the door further. "Come on in."

Hudson walked into the room and walked toward the room's desk as Morgan shut the door. Reaching the desk, Hudson leaned against it.

"How is Reid? And don't just give me the doctor's prognosis again."

Morgan looked at Hudson closely, trying to gauge the reason for the question. Given Reid's concern about Hudson talking about him around the office, he was hesitant to answer the question. Morgan took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Before I answer that, we need to discuss something," Morgan said, walking into the room and sitting on the end of one of the beds, facing Hudson. The other agent nodded his consent and waited for Morgan to continue. "What happened out there in the woods, it needs to stay between the three of us. Don't go spreading Reid's reaction out there around the office."

"Of course not. You really think I would do something like that!"

"I honestly don't know what to expect from you when it comes to Reid," Morgan told him. "I know we've talked about the situation, and you said you were going to start treating him better, but well . . .Reid's concerned about what you're going to be spreading around the office when you get back and I need to know you're not going to do that."

"About the only thing I would say to the others is how after going through a very intense situation Reid was able to pull himself together and reason out where the UnSub would go next. Reid's the reason that we caught that guy tonight!"

"That's good to know."

"So, how is he?"

"Physically, pretty banged up but he'll heal from that. Other than that, like I said he's concerned about how people are going to view what things happened. Worried that he didn't handle the situation in the manner an FBI agent would and that it will affect how he fits in with this team. He actually apologized to me for letting himself getting kidnapped."

Hudson shook his head and looked down at the carpet. "Man, I've really screwed up. First I don't even give the guy a chance and now because I didn't want to deal with how he would react to a situation, he's in the hospital, blaming himself for a situation he couldn't control."

"Well, I can't argue with that sentiment," Morgan said. "You know though, it's not too late to change things. To start making Reid feel like he's accepted by every person on this team."

Hudson nodded. "I know. I intend to start doing that, though I'm not sure how."

"You'll figure out a way," Morgan assured him. There was a brief moment of silence between them which was broken by Morgan speaking again. "Was Carrie the only Stephen King movie you've watched?"

"No. Why?"

"Have you seen Misery?" Morgan asked. At Hudson's nod, he continued. "Was the UnSub really intending on breaking . . ."

Morgan let the question trail off not wanting to put it into words.

"Let's just say, that scene got to me the first time I saw it, and I'll never be able to watch it again. How about we leave it at it was a good thing we found Reid when we did."

Morgan nodded as Hudson got to his feet.

"I think we both need to get some sleep. I'll talk to you in the morning," Hudson told him as he started toward the door.

Hudson left Morgan's room but didn't go back to his own room. Instead, he found his feet carrying him toward the elevator, thoughts tumbling in his mind. He knew Morgan had felt responsible for Reid getting taken by the UnSub tonight, which was why he had gone against protocol and gone searching for the younger agent right away. As easy as it would be to let Morgan shoulder all of that responsibility, Hudson knew that he couldn't. After all, it had been his suggestion that they leave Reid at the vehicle. Though he had used Reid's reaction to just the thought of seeing yet another dead body as an excuse, he knew that wasn't the reason. He knew that he just hadn't wanted to deal with Reid at that point. The younger agent had been with them all day and after alienating the rest of his team with his treatment of the younger agent and subsequent apologies, he had been trying to be nicer to the younger agent. Hudson had wanted a break from him and he honestly hadn't thought Reid would be in danger being left at the vehicle. They had all been convinced the young genius was being paranoid with his feeling of being watched.

~_Apparently, we're going to have to take Reid's feelings a bit more seriously,_~ Hudson thought as he pushed the elevator button for the lobby as the doors closed. He recalled one of the few things the UnSub had told them tonight - that he had been watching their group for the opportunity to strike. ~_He realized that we were being watched when the rest of us didn't. He noticed Carmichael coming back to the tailor shop before the rest of us did and whether I want to admit it or not, that drunk who crashed into the crime scene a couple of weeks ago would have hit me if Reid hadn't shouted that warning_.~

Hudson sighed. He had been called jealous by three other members of the team and regrettably they were right. He had been jealous though he had fought admitting it to himself. After his struggles to get into the BAU and the lack of support from his father on his career choice in general, the fact that someone else, especially someone so young, was getting in on his first try, hadn't sat well with him. He had wanted Reid to fail from the very beginning. Had been afraid that with Reid on the team, he would soon find himself being transferred out. ~_All this time, I thought I was competing with Reid, and the only place that competition really existed was in my own head. This isn't some western. This team is big enough for the both of us.~_

Hudson thought over the last few days and the case. They had all contributed to solving it, despite the personal tensions that had been present. Tension that for the most part had been his fault. He had apologized to both Morgan and Nichols but though neither had said it, he knew he still owed an apology to Reid. An apology for not giving him a fair chance. For subconsciously hoping to make things so miserable for the younger agent that he would quit. Coming back and finding Reid gone had made him realize just how much a part of the team the genius had become despite his behavior toward him. Looking at the signs left behind from the struggle that had ensued had made him realize that it wasn't just his intelligence that had gotten Reid to where he was at. Despite his looks, the kid must have paid attention to the physical training portions of the academy. Hudson had also realized that Reid should not have had to face that situation alone. They were supposed to have one another's backs.

It had been that guilt that had spurred him to follow Morgan into the woods in search of their teammate against protocol. They hadn't been there for him, when he had needed them, the least they could do was find him before the UnSub had gotten too far with him. Before the guy had a chance to carry out whatever he had planned for the young agent.

~_And we got there just in time. This was one time where Morgan's more reckless approach paid off_,~ Hudson admitted. He had reached the SUV he had driven to the hotel. Though he hadn't really consciously thought about doing so, he was feeling drawn to go to the hospital despite Gideon telling them all to get some rest.

As he climbed behind the wheel, Hudson's thoughts went to his altercation with the paramedic._ ~I probably could have handled that better_,~ Hudson admitted to himself as he recalled the incident. At that moment though, his own guilt for even putting Reid in that situation had overcome his practical thinking. When the medics had gone to secure the younger man to the backboard, Reid had panicked. Given the situation that he and Morgan had stumbled upon, Hudson had thought justifiably so. The medics' first response had been to simply try to sedate him. Granted, he had no medical expertise but it hadn't made sense to Hudson to deal with the panic of being restrained by restraining him in another way. ~_When the drug wore off, the situation would have still been the same. I probably shouldn't have pushed the guy out of the way though_,~ Hudson admitted, wondering briefly if he was going to have to deal with yet another complaint against him.

~_Oh, well. It'll be worth it this time_,~ Hudson thought, the sentiment surprising himself.

It wasn't long before Hudson reached the hospital Morgan and Hotch had left not long ago. After using his badge to talk his way past the nurse at the desk who had tried to stop him as it wasn't visiting hours, he made his way toward the room of the teammate that he had been giving a hard time to since Reid had joined the team. Chances were, Reid wouldn't even be awake or if he was, wouldn't want to see him. Still, once the idea of apologizing had gotten into his head, Hudson had felt compelled to go through with it. Reaching the room number the nurse had given him, the profiler paused and stared into the semi-darkness within. The door was open and the only light within the room came from the nightlights on the walls. Now that he was standing there, Hudson wasn't so sure he wanted to go through with this.

~_No one said I had to apologize. I could just start treating the guy better_,~ Hudson reasoned with himself.

He stood in the almost empty corridor a few more minutes, staring into the room. Reid was probably asleep anyway. He should probably be back at the hotel asleep. However, Hudson knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep if he returned to the hotel. Feeling the eyes of a few of the hospital staff on him, Hudson finally willed himself to take a few steps forward.

Approaching the doorway, he knocked softly on the door to announce his presence in case Reid wasn't sleeping. He didn't receive a response as he continued into the room. After taking a few steps, he stopped to let his eyes adjust to the lower light. It wasn't long before he could make things out in the glow cast by the two wall night lights. Glancing toward the bed, he could make out the lanky form of his newest teammate. From the stillness, Hudson figured he was sleeping and was going to walk quietly out of the room. Before he could though, Reid spoke up.

"Who's there?"

"It's Hudson," the older agent replied, realizing that a quick retreat was no longer going to be possible.

"Did you decide to come give me a hard time about ruining your night by letting the UnSub kidnap me?" Reid asked, the bitterness evident in his voice.

"I deserved that," Hudson replied. "Mind if I turn on the lights?"

"No, go ahead. Couldn't sleep anyway."

Hudson reached out, and flipped the light switch on the wall. As the room was lit up, both agents blinked a few times as their eyes adjusted. As he walked closer to the bed, Hudson could now make out Reid clearly. Even though he had seen Reid out in the woods, the bruises looked worse in the glow of the artificial lights of the hospital.

"You're definitely not going to win any beauty contests any time soon," Hudson commented to break the silence.

"Yeah, the window of an SUV isn't exactly forgiving," Reid commented.

"Probably not," Hudson commented, having reached the bed side. He noticed that Reid held his cell phone in his right hand. "Getting ready to call for help there?" he asked lightly. He had wanted the comment to ease the tension between the two of them. As he saw the part of Reid's face that wasn't bruised flush a deep shade of pink though, he realized it wasn't working.

"No, I just . . ." Reid started to say, before letting the words trail off. Giving up even trying to explain, Reid reached out to place the phone back on the beside table, stifling the groan that wanted to escape his lips.

~_This is not going well_,~ Hudson thought, finally really seeing what the last two months of him giving Reid a hard time had caused. He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. He needed to do this. It might not instantly solve everything, but Reid deserved the apology even if he didn't deserve forgiveness.

"Look, Reid I'm sorry and not just about not having your back tonight. I'm sorry I've given you such a hard time these last couple of months. Sorry, that I didn't give you a fair chance when you joined the team. We wouldn't have caught that guy tonight without you," Hudson told him.

Reid gazed at him with a neutral expression. As he didn't say anything, Hudson had no idea what the younger man was thinking. Whether he believed what he was saying or not.

"I've been a jerk, these last few months," Hudson continued, the admission hard for him to make. "It's kind of hard to explain why, and that's not really important I guess, but it's not anything you did really but mostly because of you coming onto the team at such a young age, after I tried for quite awhile to get here, it made me angry so I took things out on you. I didn't think it was fair that someone should be able to come into the BAU and onto my team so easily. Selfish, I know but that's how I felt. Maybe there was a reason it took me so long to get accepted into the BAU," he added with a shrug. "Still, I shouldn't have taken it out on you, so for that I'm sorry and I hope you'll give me a chance to prove that I can be a decent teammate, but if you can't then I understand that too."

Hudson fell silent. Reid remained quiet as he looked over at Hudson, who lowered his gaze under the scrutiny. ~_I wish he would say something_,~ Hudson said. _~Even him telling me he can never forgive me would be better than the silence.~_

"Okay, well I've said my piece," Hudson said, when he couldn't stand the silence any longer. "I guess I'll see you in the morning. As long as we can spring you, the plan is to head home tomorrow."

Reid finally nodded, but still didn't say anything.

Turning, Hudson headed back toward the door. Though he didn't feel great, he at least felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He had apologized and what was done was done. He couldn't change the past, but he did plan on not giving Reid such a hard time in the future whether the younger man could find it in himself to forgive him or not.

He had almost reached the door when Reid's words made him pause mid-step.

"It wasn't easy for me."

"What?" Hudson asked as he turned back around. Reid had moved into a sitting position and was looking directly at him.

"You said you didn't think it was fair that someone should be able to get into the BAU so easily. I may have gotten here on my first attempt, but it wasn't easy. I graduated high school at the age of twelve. I dealt with more people like you every day I stepped through the doors of that school. College didn't get any easier and once I decided that I wanted to join the FBI, I knew I'd have my work cut out for me to meet the physical fitness entrance requirements but I worked hard to get there. Even after making it to the academy it wasn't any picnic. Granted my fellow trainees weren't quite as ruthless as my classmates from school, but I didn't make any friends. The closest thing I had to a friend during training was Agent Hotchner and you can't exactly count an instructor as a friend. I didn't ask to be put into the BAU right out of the Academy, and I definitely didn't want to make anyone mad to get here, but once given the opportunity I wasn't going to turn it down, though I did almost decide to quit at one point."

"That would have been our loss if you had," Hudson said sincerely, surprised at how open Reid was being with him, and looking at the younger man in a whole new light. He thought of his conversation with Nichols and realized just how right the computer specialist had been.

"Yeah, well your stuck with me now. I don't plan on going anywhere."

Hudson smiled. He walked back toward the bed. "Then what do you say the two of us start over. Hi. I'm SA Fred Hudson. Welcome to the team," he said, holding out a hand.

Reid allowed himself a small smile as he shook the proffered hand. "SA Spencer Reid."

"Didn't you forget a title in there somewhere," Hudson joked.

Despite everything, Reid found himself laughing at that, an action that he quickly regretted as his sore ribs protested. The laugh turning into a groan, Reid laid back down against the pillows.

"Sorry," Hudson told him softly. "Perhaps I should let you get some rest," he said. "I'll see you in a few hours." Picking up Reid's cell phone, he handed it to the younger agent. "Sometimes knowing someone is just a call away is just as good as having them right there with you."

"Thanks," Reid replied softly, glad that Hudson understood.

Without another word, Hudson headed out of the room, glad he apologized and even more relieved that Reid was willing to give him a second chance.


	37. Facing the Consequences

Once again the jet carrying the profilers of the BAU took to skies. It was almost five o'clock before the doctor had released Reid, despite the young man's continuous attempts to leave all day. The team of profilers had gone straight from the hospital to the airport, Nichols having packed Reid's things at the hotel. Though they had arrived in Alabama separately, they were leaving together. _~Maybe more together than we were before coming down here,~ _Gideon thought, as he watched most of his agents engage in a game of poker from where he sat, opposite of Hotch. The paperwork in front of him was all but forgotten as he watched the four of them interact.

At the big table, Nichols and Morgan had taken the seats near the window. Next to Nichols, in the seats facing where Gideon was seated, was Reid, his sprained ankle propped up in the seat across the table from him. The crutches were on the floor next to the seat. At the end of the bench seat, Hudson sat on the edge as he participated in the game with the others.

"I call," Hudson said, pushing three blue chips into the pile. He was the only one to meet the last raise that the young genius has made.

The betting done, Reid put down his hand. "Full House - Aces over fives."

"Dammit!" Hudson said, as he put down his own hand that consisted of five diamonds.

"I told you he was good," Morgan said, as Reid pulled the pile of chips toward him, being the only one that had played the game against the young genius.

"I think he's stacking the deck," Hudson said jokingly as he gathered up the cards to shuffle them for the next hand, getting smiles from both Nichols and Morgan.

"I didn't even deal the last hand," Reid said, defensively. The fact that he hadn't picked up on the joke, caused Nichols and Morgan's smiles to change to laughter.

Reid looked at his teammates, his expression one of confusion. "What did I miss?" he asked, innocently.

"Don't worry about it, Junior," Nichols said, as he placed his chips for the ante in the middle of the table.

Reid looked at each of his teammates in turn. It was clear to him that he hadn't picked up on something, but he had no clue as to what. Along with Hudson and Morgan, he added chips to the pot, contemplating whether or not he should press for an answer. Deciding not to risk seeming more clueless than he already did, Reid decided to let it go for now as Nichols had suggested. Perhaps he could get the computer specialist to explain later in the privacy of his office back in Quantico.

Looking at the cards he was dealt, Reid debated on what to do. Deciding that he had something to work with, he placed a bet. The other three all called.

"How many?" Hudson said, placing his hand face down on the table and picking up the deck.

"Two," Reid said, selecting two cards from his hand and discarding them.

"I'll take three," Nichols said, tossing three cards face down on the table.

"I'm good," Morgan replied calmly.

"Trying to make us think you have a good hand over there, huh?" Hudson accused, as he picked up his own hand and chose the cards he planned on discarding.

Morgan shrugged his shoulders, his face remaining passive.

"Dealer is going to take two," Hudson said, discarding two cards onto the table and drawing tow cards from the pile.

Starting the second round of betting, Reid put chips into the pile. On his turn, Nichols folded. Morgan raised the bet. After a brief pause, Hudson called. Reid didn't hesitate in raising Morgan again.

"I raise," Morgan said, pushing the appropriate amount of chips toward the pot.

Hudson glanced over at Nichols who simply shrugged his shoulders. "I'm going to let the two of you duke it out," Hudson replied, pushing his cards together and dropping the cards face down on the table.

Reid calmly raised the bet again, and all eyes at the table fell to Morgan. The dark-skinned agent glanced down at his cards and then calmly looked back across the table at Reid.

"Somebody glance at his cards for me," Morgan said.

Nichols was busy with something on his cell phone and made no comment to the playful request. Playing along, Hudson shifted in his seat as if to take a peak at the younger man's cards.

"Hey," Reid said, pulling his hand in closer against his body.

"Sorry, man, I tried. However, I'm not going to be responsible for putting more bruises on him."

Morgan smiled at his friend's comment, playing with one stack of chips as he contemplated what to do. In his seat, Reid kept his hand protectively close to him, casting wary glances at Hudson despite the last remark he had made.

"I call," Morgan finally said, placing enough chips in the pot to meet Reid's last raise. "What do you have?"

"Three kings," Reid replied laying his hand down on the table.

"Dammit," Morgan exclaimed, dropping his own hand on the table, which consisted of three queens.

"We need to take this guy to Atlantic City with us. Bet we could clean up at the card tables," Hudson commented as he put the cards together into one pile as Reid gathered the chips.

"As long as we can convince everyone that he's older than twenty-one," Morgan kidded.

Reid felt the color rise in his cheeks as he took the deck of cards from Hudson. He began shuffling as Morgan glanced over at Nichols.

"What's so interesting over there, Nichols?" Morgan asked.

"A video file, Vanessa sent me. Evan is planning on being a magician in a talent show his class is doing. I bought him some easy magic tricks for Christmas and he's been working on them ever since. Vanessa recorded one of the practice attempts," Nichols said, turning the volume up on his phone and holding it so that his co-workers could watch the video.

On the screen, Nichols' seven-year-old son held a pair of inter-locking rings in his hands. Quite seriously, the boy explained the trick, said the magic words, and then attempted to move the rings apart. Unfortunately, the rings remained interlocked, despite several more attempts.

"Looks like he needs some more practice there," Morgan commented.

"Yeah," Nichols said, turning the phone to face him again and closing out of the video. "Evan's also having issues with the trick where you have three cups, hide a ball under one and then the magician mixes them up, and has someone pick the cup with the ball under it. Evan hasn't mastered the trick of mixing the cups without the ball getting away. He does seem to be enjoying the wand that does five tricks though. Of course, his old man isn't much help to him. Magic never was my forte."

"I could help him," Reid offered as he shuffled the deck of cards.

"You can do magic?" Hudson asked.

"You're surprised?" Morgan asked, before Reid had a chance to answer. "He's probably got a Ph.D. in that, too. He's Google in a sweater vest."

Reid glanced down at his clothes and then around the table at his teammates. Nichols had his hand in front of his face, politely trying to hide his amusement. Morgan was wearing a huge smile at his joke. Hudson, despite the smile, still looked skeptical.

"Let's see something then," Hudson told him.

"Okay," Reid said, shuffling the cards one more time, and then fanning them out. He held the deck face down to Hudson. "Pick a card and don't let me see it," he instructed.

Hudson chose a card. It was the queen of clubs. Being careful to not let Reid see what card it was, he showed the card to Morgan and Nichols.

Reid shifted the rest of the cards to one hand and then let them spread out. "Go ahead and place the card somewhere in the deck," the young genius instructed. He waited for Hudson to do as instructed and then shuffled the deck. He then placed the cards face down onto the table. "Split the deck in half."

Hudson did as instructed. Reid then moved the lower half of the deck off to the side. Reid had the other profiler cut the deck twice more.

"Now how many cards are left?"

Hudson picked up the remaining cards and quickly counted them. "Twelve," he replied, placing the cards in a neat pile on the table once again.

"Now pick five." Reid instructed.

Hudson picked five cards out and then looked at Reid. Reid reached out and removed the rest of the cards.

"Now from those five, pick two." He waited for Hudson to comply. "Throw them away. Of the remaining three, pick one."

Hudson picked another card from the three he had left.

"Discard it," Reid instructing, pausing as the other agent did so. "Pick another one."

Hudson picked up one of the two remaining cards. Reid reached out and flipped the remaining card over on the table. "There's your card," Reid said as the queen of clubs appeared.

"How did you do that?" Hudson asked, sounding impressed.

"A magician never reveals his secrets."

"Okay, wise-guy, let's see you do it a second time."

Reid shrugged his shoulders slightly as he gathered up the cards. "Someone else want to pick this time?" he asked, as he started to fan out the cards.

"Sure, I'm game," Morgan said, and the card trick started again.

_**BAU, Four days later . . .**_

Morgan and Nichols walked onto the sixth floor, having just returned from helping the D.C. police out with profiling a crime scene. The detective in charge had asked for the BAU's input on the case and then had insisted they could handle it from there. Morgan had told him to contact them if the needed any more help.

As he headed for his desk, Morgan took notice of who had found their way into Gideon's office. Section Chief Erin Strauss sat across the desk from Gideon. Hotch had also joined the two. From the looks that all three of them wore, Morgan knew it wasn't a simple social call taking place within the office.

"Ahh, here is comes. One suspension coming up," Morgan commented, as the two of them walked toward Morgan's desk.

Nichols followed Morgan's gaze to the office. "Guess she's finished looking over all the reports. I'm sure you're overreacting though. No one is going to get suspended."

"Suspended for what?" Hudson asked, looking up from his computer as Morgan reached his desk.

"Because of what happened down in Alabama," Nichols supplied.

"Nichols is right. You're not going to get suspended," Hudson told his friend, as Morgan sat down at his desk.

"Why not? I'd suspend me. I was told to keep an eye on Reid, and not only didn't I do that, but the UnSub captured him because of that, and he got injured in the process."

"You couldn't have known Reid was in any danger at the vehicle. As for the injuries, they were all minor. He's not even on the crutches anymore," Hudson said, with a wave in Reid's direction, who was at his desk working.

The sprained ankle had healed and the bruises were starting to heal, though the right side of the young doctor's face was still a myriad of colors. At the sound of his name, the genius had looked up.

"If I had done my job, he wouldn't have been on crutches at all."

"It wasn't your fault, Morgan" Reid told his co-worker.

"They don't need to discipline you. You're doing a bang up job at beating yourself up over this all by yourself," Hudson commented.

"How long have they been in there?" Morgan asked.

"About a half hour now," Reid supplied, a worried expression on his face. "I sure hope they don't get into too much trouble on account of me. Any of you," he added, his gaze drifting to Morgan.

"The two of you are exactly alike," Hudson said, looking from Reid to Morgan as he spoke. "You're blaming yourself for things that you had no control over. Now granted, leaving you," he shifted his gaze back to Reid, "wasn't exactly the best thing we could have done but there was no indication that you were in danger there. There was no way any of us could have known the UnSub was in the area. Nor did you exactly go willingly with the UnSub, so quit blaming yourself for that. What happened down in Alabama was unfortunate. I think all three of us have learned that we need to be more careful while out on a case, but no one is to blame for what happened."

"Are you done with the lecture?" Morgan asked.

"For now," Hudson replied. "However, if I hear one more word about whose fault everything was, I can't promise not to go back into lecture mode."

"Yes, Mom," Morgan quipped from his desk, resulting in Hudson ripping a blank piece of paper from a legal pad on his desk, balling it up, and tossing it at his teammate.

Laughing, Morgan leaned down to pick of the paper from the floor. As he straightened up he found himself looking right at the unsmiling face of Section Chief Erin Strauss. The smile on his face melted away. He could see the disapproval in the elder agent's face and Morgan had a feeling that it was from more than just the goofing around she had probably just seen. Strauss' eyes seemed to bore into him, as she walked around the bull pen and headed for the elevators. The feeling that he was going to be suspended came back ten-fold.

"Morgan, Hudson, I'd like to see the both of you," Gideon said.

Morgan let his gaze change from Strauss to his unit chief. Gideon was standing in the doorway of his office, his face unreadable. Hotch had left the unit chief's office and was walking the short distance to his own.

"Looks like it's time for both of us to face the music," Hudson commented, as he and Morgan got to their feet. As he hadn't heard anything from Gideon concerning the events of the last night in Alabama yet, Hudson wasn't surprised to be included. He had known a lecture and, possibly, some kind of write-up was in his future.

The two agents made their way into the office where they found Gideon waiting for them. The senior agent had sat back down behind his desk. As Morgan followed Hudson into the office, Gideon motioned for the dark-skinned agent to close the door.

"Have a seat," Gideon said, motioning to the chairs opposite of him that Strauss and Hotch had occupied not long ago.

The click of the door closing seemed to echo in the two younger agents' minds as Morgan followed Hudson across the office. The two sat silently down across from their superior and waited for him to speak first.

Gideon leveled his gaze at Hudson first. "I thought you should know that Morgan went to bat for you out in Alabama. He claims that what happened was his responsibility and that you were backing him up," the unit chief said calmly, watching his subordinate as he did so. He didn't miss the look that Hudson cast in Morgan's direction. "Somehow, you don't strike me as the type to go along blindly, even when the other agent outranks you. Care to give me your version of events?"

Hudson met Gideon's gaze steadily as he replied to the question. "While I appreciate Morgan sticking up for me, what happened that night wasn't all on him. I realized we broke protocol going into the woods alone instead of waiting until the organized search to begin. While I made a few attempts at persuading him against the action, I probably could have tried harder and if I were to be honest with myself, I probably didn't because deep down I wanted to be out there looking for Reid, instead of standing around doing nothing."

"Despite the fact that you knew it was against protocol?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Hudson, everything in your file indicates that you are a stickler for the rules. Everything I've seen since you joined this team, despite your tendency to ruffle feathers while out in the field, has indicated that. Yes, you might bend them a bit to fit your needs at times, we all do, but to flat out go against procedure and put yourself and other agents in danger, that's not like you. So I ask you again, what compelled you to go into the woods in search of Reid and the UnSub without back-up?"

"Because it was my suggestion to leave Reid at the vehicle in the first place," Hudson admitted. From Morgan's groan beside him, he knew that his teammate hadn't provided Gideon with that piece of information yet.

"Somehow, that piece of information doesn't surprise me," Gideon said, as he let his gaze drift from Hudson over to Morgan. "I think that all three of us in this room will agree that your actions in Alabama, while admittedly giving us the best possible outcome to the situation, were reckless and would have been uncalled for if better judgement had been used in the first place."

"Yes, sir," Morgan and Hudson replied in unison.

"I think we can also agree that there has been some unprofessional attitudes and actions, which I have tolerated quite well. I was hoping it would resolve itself without there needing to be any official action taken. Do you both agree with that assessment?" Gideon asked. He received only nods in reply this time. "I still hope it can be resolved without any official action," he continued. Morgan and Hudson exchanged relieved looks. "Consider this your last warning, I will no longer tolerate any intentionally demeaning remarks or actions toward Dr. Reid. I'm not saying you have to like him, or spend free time with him if you don't want to, but treat him with the same courtesy and respect that you show any other member of the bureau. I want to see you both act like the professionals that I know you to be. From this point on, I will handle any transgressions in an official manner. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," both of them replied once more. Morgan didn't leave it at that, though.

"What about the investigation that was conducted by the department?"

"It's been completed. The two of you were never factors into the investigation because Hotch and I chose to keep you out of it. We didn't feel the need to put everyone's actions under the department's microscope. Ultimately, it was decisions that Hotch and I made that put Reid in the position to be in harm's way. This is a team. A team looks out for its members which is something that I think the two of you need a little more time to learn, but you're getting there."

"Thank-you, sir," Morgan said, followed by Hudson's echo of those words.

"Unless the two of you have anything else you would like to add, that's all for now," Gideon said.

Morgan and Hudson both shook their heads as they got to their feet. Trying not to look too desperate to get out of their boss' office, they left.

"Man do I feel like I dodged a bullet there," Morgan commented quietly as the two headed for the stairs.

"You and me both. Thanks for trying to keep me out of trouble even though it was my suggestion that started the whole mess."

"You would have done the same for me," Morgan said. "Want to grab something to eat tonight? Celebrate not getting suspended."

"Sure," Hudson agreed, following Morgan down the steps and into the bullpen.

The two crossed to their desks. As Hudson sat down at his desk facing Reid, he addressed the younger agent. "Hey Reid, do you have any plans for tonight?"

"No," came the younger man's tentative reply.

"Good. Then you can join Morgan and me for dinner. Maybe we can even convince Nichols to join us."

"Umm . . . I . . ."

"You just said you didn't have any plans, Kid, so there is no reason you can't join us. Just do us a favor and leave the statistics here for the night."

Seeing that there was no way he was going to talk his way out of the arrangement, Reid nodded, feeling a bit trepidatious about the whole arrangement.

* * *

Following the meeting with Strauss, Hotch retreated to his own office to allow Gideon to deal with the inter-team discipline. He had no regrets of protecting the two younger members of the team, after all he and Gideon had been responsible for putting them in the position they had found themselves in. He had a feeling that was Gideon's way of thinking too, given that he had taken on the brunt of the responsibility of what had happened to Reid.

~_The decision to bring Agent Reid on the case with the team was made by both Agent Hotchner and myself. We felt that it would have been detrimental to his training to leave him behind and felt that he could contribute to the case, which he did. Once that decision was made, all responsibility for Agent Reid was mine and not Agent Hotchner's_.~

Those were the words that Gideon had written in his report for the investigation as well as had repeated to Strauss and the other members of the investigation panel. Though Hotch didn't agree completely with that assessment, he hadn't argued with the unit chief. It was important that they presented a united front to the panel.

~_I could have insisted that Gideon kept him with him. In fact, I probably should have insisted on that_,~ Hotch thought as he settled into his chair.

The verbal warning he had received for his decision to allow Reid to travel with the team, despite his required presence in Seattle, didn't bother him. Hotch felt it was deserved and actually was surprised they hadn't issued a more severe disciplinary action. _~From Strauss' attitude, if it was up to her, it would have been_,~ Hotch thought, thinking about the meeting with the section chief. The verbal warning was nothing compared to the Failure to Supervise censure that Gideon had received, something that Hotch knew his friend and boss had anticipated.

Nor was he bothered by Strauss' instructions that Reid not travel with the team unless Hotch was with them for the duration of the young agent's probationary period. That anything Reid was involved in was to be supervised by either him or Gideon. Hotch had no intention of letting Reid out of his sight anytime soon with or without those instructions.

What was bothering him most was the feeling that he had let Reid down. As his probationary agent, it was his responsibility to make sure that Reid finished learning the nuances of this job and that he did so without anyone getting hurt. Mistakes were inevitable. They came with being human. However, making a mistake that resulted in someone getting hurt was unacceptable in Hotch's mind. He intended to do his best to make sure that didn't happen again.


	38. That's What Teammates Are For

AN: So this is the last regular chapter. After that there is just the epilogue. It's been a long journey and I thank-you all for joining me on it! Also, this chapter has not been beta'ed - I've gone through it a couple of times but I find editing my own work to be hard(and commas and I don't get along), so please bear with me with the mistakes. If you choose to, feel free to point out any obvious typos you find. On that note, hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

The Shield Bar and Grill was crowded at this time of the evening, as those getting off work stopped by to grab dinner with co-workers or significant others. Others, looking to blow off steam, had stopped by for a drink or two as they shot a game of pool. The one thing they all had in common was that they were looking to escape the pressures of their jobs.

Hudson and Morgan had found a booth off to the side of the bar. From where he was, Morgan had a good view of most of the bar, including the front door. Though Nichols had chosen to go home to his kids, they weren't the only two from the BAU at the bar that night. Across the room and closer to the front door, the dark-skinned profiler had a clear view of Hotch and Gideon, the former having been joined by his wife.

"I have a feeling he's standing us up," Hudson commented, picking up his glass of cola and taking a sip. Neither of the agents was drinking that night. "Perhaps we should just order."

Morgan glanced down at his watch. It was now ten minutes past the time they had agreed to meet. However, Reid had seemed reluctant to the idea right from the start, so perhaps he had just decided not to show up. Giving everything that had taken place since Reid had joined the BAU, the profiler couldn't blame the younger agent for suddenly being leery about spending time with them.

~_Perhaps he figured that not showing up would be easier than trying to talk his way out of coming_, ~ Morgan thought, as he looked back toward the entrance. He was about to agree to Hudson's suggestion when he saw their newest team member come through the front door.

"Reid just showed up," Morgan said, with a nod toward the door.

Hudson turned in his seat at the comment and so both federal agents saw what transpired. As he stepped into the bar, Reid started looking around for his teammates. Instead of stopping while he did so, he took a couple more steps. Those steps took him right into the path of one of the bar's other patrons who was carrying a couple of drinks, which ended up hitting the floor with the sound of breaking glass.

Even from where they were sitting, Morgan could see Reid's face pale as well as the angry look the other guy gave him. Morgan noticed it was the same guy that Reid had managed to get mad at him when the whole team had come here after their day at Hogan's Alley. Despite the words Reid was saying, which Morgan could only guess was some sort of apology, the anger did not fade from the man's face.

~_Apparently, the guy remembers Reid from the last time too_, ~ Morgan thought, as he got to his feet with the intent to go bail his teammate out of whatever situation he had gotten himself into.

"That didn't take him long at all," Hudson commented as he got to his feet too.

"What didn't?"

"Reid managing to get himself into trouble."

Morgan smiled but didn't reply as he led the way through the crowd.

At his own table, Hotch had noticed Reid's arrival himself. He was surprised by it at first, not figuring Reid to be one to show up at the bar on his own. When Reid started glancing around the bar, he realized that the younger man was here to meet someone.

"You didn't invite Reid to join us, did you?" Hotch asked, letting his gaze drift from Reid to Gideon who was sitting across the table from him.

"No. I would have told you," Gideon replied.

There was a sound of glass breaking and both profilers looked in that direction. It didn't surprise them that Reid was involved in the source of that commotion. Hotch started to get to his feet, ready to go run interference for the young agent, when Gideon spoke up again.

"Hold up," Gideon said, looking back at Hotch.

"That guy doesn't look at all happy. What do you want me to do, wait until he actually hits the kid?"

"Of course not," Gideon said. "Reid's got someone else coming to his aid though," Gideon said, nodding to indicate that Hotch should look in a certain direction.

Looking past Reid and the angry bar patron, who as of right now had limited showing his displeasure to yelling, it didn't take long for Hotch to pick out who Gideon was referring too. Both Morgan and Hudson were making their way toward the altercation. Hotch wondered if they were who Reid had been looking for when he had entered the bar.

~_If so, perhaps there is hope for this group yet,_" Hotch thought, settling back down in his seat though he kept a close eye on what was going on. If things escalated or Morgan and Hudson didn't seem to be able to diffuse the situation, the former prosecutor planned on being ready to step in.

As Morgan reached Reid and the man, the first thing he did was insert himself in between the man and his younger teammate. Reid seemed quite relieved to see Morgan, even as he took a couple of steps back. Hudson, hung off to the side, letting Morgan take the lead but making sure that the other guy was aware of his presence.

Though Hotch couldn't tell what Morgan was saying to the guy, it seemed to work. The man still seemed upset but no longer looked as if he would rather have his hands wrapped around Reid's neck more than anything else. By this time, a waiter and the bar's manager had joined the scene, clearly trying to make sure that a fight didn't break out. Not long after they appeared though, the guy started walking toward the bar with Hudson, while the waiter and manager started cleaning up the broken glass and spilled drinks. Putting one arm around Reid's shoulders, Morgan led the younger man safely through the crowd to the table that he and Hudson had been sitting at.

"Maybe we'll be okay after all," Gideon said as he turned away from the scene and leaned back against the back of the booth.

Hotch smiled. Only time would tell if the camaraderie he had just witnessed would last but he had to agree with the unit chief, the team might just be okay. Though he wouldn't have chosen for the events in Alabama to take place, it appeared as though the team had done some bonding over what had occurred. If that bonding lasted, then at least something good had come from it all.

Their waitress brought out their food, and Gideon, Hotch and Haley changed the topic of the conversation as they began to eat their dinner.

"Next time, just accept the ride when I offer it and perhaps you can keep yourself out of trouble," Morgan told Reid as he slid into the booth beside the younger agent.

"I didn't want to come in the first place, remember," Reid said defensively. He immediately regretted the choice of words as he felt it made him sound ungrateful for Morgan's help. He had been sure that the guy was going to take a swing at him. "But thanks for bailing me out back there," he added quickly.

"It's what teammates are for," Morgan told him.

Reid smiled and nodded. Those simple words told him that he had finally achieved what he had been striving for since he had joined the BAU. He had finally gotten the acceptance of his teammates. He wasn't naive enough to think it was going to be smooth sailing from this point on. He knew he had a lot to learn. More than likely he was going to unknowingly annoy one of them from time to time. They weren't always going to see things the same way and he had seen from the interaction of the rest of them that there was going to be some good-natured teasing in the future. However, when things got rough, he knew they were going to have his back despite any of that. They had proven that to him in Alabama and again tonight.

Before either of them could say anything else, Hudson rejoined them. "If I've got to keep bailing you out, you're going to be the death of me," he said, directing the comment toward Reid as he slid into the seat across from his two teammates. "By the way, you owe me six bucks," he added in a casual, offhanded manner, the right side of his mouth lifting into a half-smile.

Taking him seriously, Reid reached for his wallet, ready to hand over the money. He was just grateful to both Morgan and Hudson for coming to his rescue with the guy, as his apologies had been getting him nowhere. Morgan had finally been able to get the guy to back off by offering to buy him replacement drinks. The guy, probably due to the fact that he was by that time outnumbered and they had attracted the attention of the manager, had accepted the offer and Hudson had gone with him to the bar to make the purchase.

"I was joking," Hudson said, waving his had in Reid's direction. "I got it covered."

"You sure?"

"Yes," Hudson told him. Grinning now, he changed his gaze to Morgan. "We're definitely going to have to teach him not to take things so seriously."

"I think we're going to have our work cut out for us in that area," Morgan replied, his grin matching Hudson's.

Reid felt his cheeks grow warm as he concentrated on the menu he was holding. It wasn't long before a waitress showed up asking if they were ready to order. The three agents placed their orders. As the waitress left their table, Hudson spoke up.

"Well, Reid here is lesson number one in knowing when not to take things seriously. Listen to the way that somebody speaks the words. If they're joking around you will be able to hear the voice in the inflection of their voice."

"I think you mean intonation," Reid replied casually.

"Excuse me?" Hudson asked.

"If you're referring to the tone in which somebody says something, linguists consider that the intonation. Languages use intonation for emphasis, to convey surprise, to pose a question. Actually, intonation is most easily identified in declarative questions because there is usually a rising intonation that the listener can easily hear. In contrast, inflection refers to the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, person, number, or gender." Reid paused for a moment, "Although, sometimes the term vocal inflection is used to refer to the intonations of the voice, so I guess you could use the term inflection. But, you're still really referring to the intonation of the voice."

"Um, yeah, okay," Hudson said, hesitantly, not at all sure he completely understood what the younger man had just said. He glanced at Morgan, who was busy trying to hide his smile behind his hand. "In any case, you can often hear when someone is joking around by listening to how they say the words."

"I understood the concept you were tying to express," Reid said casually, as the waitress came back with his ginger ale.

"You're right, we're going to have our work cut out for us," Hudson said, looking across the table at Morgan.

Beside the dark-skin profiler, Reid pushed the straw out of its wrapper and placed it in his glass. He then proceeded to start folding the paper, concentrating on it, instead of looking at either of his co-workers. He had a feeling he had just done something wrong again, though he wasn't sure what.

Seeing that Reid was uncomfortable with the situation, Morgan chose to change the subject. Trying to choose a subject they might all be able to join in on the conversation, Morgan steered the conversation in the direction of current events. The dark-skinned agent didn't miss the fact that most of the conversation was between him and Hudson, but he wasn't sure how to get Reid more involved without being too obvious. The last thing he wanted to do was make the younger man even more nervous.

By the time the waitress had returned with their food, the conversation had found its way to NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Mission. The first rover, Spirit, had landed on Mars on January 3. The second Rover, Opportunity, was expected to be landing on the Mars surface at the end of the month. As the waitress walked away, Reid started stating statistics relating to the lack of success of past unmanned missions to Mars. Morgan dropped the fork and knife he was about to stick into his steak, and reaching around Reid, clamped one hand over the younger man's mouth.

"Didn't I tell you to leave the statistics back at the office tonight, Kid?" Morgan asked.

Unable to speak due to the hand clamped over his mouth, Reid nodded in agreement.

"So if I remove my hand you promise not to finish rattling off whatever statistics you were about to give us?"

Morgan's question got another nod of agreement. Morgan removed his hand and picked up his silverware again.

"So exactly what is this rover mission supposed to accomplish?" Hudson asked, grateful to have avoided the statistics, but honestly curious about the mission itself.

Hesitantly, Reid started answering the question. As he spoke, he gained confidence as he realized his two teammates were actually interested in what he was saying, though he tried to keep clear of going into the little details that he often found interesting.

As Morgan cut his steak and listened to his teammate, he realized that having Dr. Spencer Reid in his life was going to prove to be quite an interesting experience. Though he would have never struck up a friendship with Reid on his own, somewhere during the last few months the younger agent had grown on him.

Morgan thought about his first impression of Reid. ~_He sure has managed to prove that first impression wrong in many ways, although I'd still be afraid to practice hand-to-hand with him. I'd still be afraid of hurting him.~_


	39. Epilogue

_**AN: Sorry about the wait - the hold-up was in the editing process. Thanks for you patience though. All my readers are awesome! I thank-you for reading, reviewing, alerting and just plain sticking with me through the entire journey! Thanks!**_

_**Disclaimer: The dialogue between JJ and Morgan in the first section is taking from the episode "Revelations".**_

* * *

_**February 2007, Georgia . . .**_

~_Two Days_.~

Those two words kept echoing through Morgan's mind. Tobias Hankel had taken Reid two days ago and though they knew he was alive, they weren't any closer to figuring out where their teammate had been taken. The image of Reid, bound and beaten was etched into his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, Morgan saw that image. Trying to keep that vision at bay, he made his way to the kitchen for more coffee.

As he poured the coffee into a cup, he heard approaching footsteps. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw JJ approaching.

"I thought you were going to try and get some rest."

"Everyone else is working - I should be too."

Morgan put the lid on the thermos and started twisting it back on. "We can handle it," he told JJ, looking at her.

"It's funny; I keep thinking the one thing we need to crack this case is uh well, Reid."

~_This is so not the conversation I want to have right now. With her or anyone else_,~ Morgan thought. "Yeah," he said quickly, and then started to walk away.

"You think Reid and I should have stayed together at the barn, don't you?" JJ asked.

~_Yes_,~ Morgan said in his mind even as he turned. ~_Just like he and I should have stayed together in Alabama four years ago. No, I shouldn't have left him four years ago._~

"JJ, go get some rest," is what he said out loud.

"I can tell that's what you're thinking, so . . ."

"I just want to get Reid home safe," Morgan told her, starting to walk away again.

"But if I had his back, like I was supposed to, he'd be here now."

~_Yes,_~ his mind screamed again, though he kept himself from voicing that accusation. Blaming JJ would get him nowhere. "JJ, what do you want from me?"

"I just . . . I want someone to tell me the truth."

"The truth is, one of you is here and one of you isn't. You got to figure the rest out for yourself."

With that said, he turned and left the room knowing if he stayed he would say things that he would later regret. JJ had to come to grips with what had happened on her own, although it was obvious to him that she felt they all blamed her. He knew that feeling. He had lived with it four years ago. Back when he had told Reid to stay at the vehicle while he and Hudson went to check out what had unfortunately been a false lead.

Morgan's footsteps took him out to the front porch. Night had fallen again and this time he didn't see the silhouette of the farm when he looked out into the darkness. Instead, he saw the forest of Alabama. Like he had back then, he had wanted to be out searching for Reid, but the time for that option had come and passed before Morgan had even arrived on scene.

_"Well, it definitely wouldn't have been an easy fight, and I never should have left you alone to begin with. Rest assured though, I won't make that mistake again."_

_"You can't protect me from everything."_

Morgan remembered his own answer to that statement. That he had planned on trying, and up until this point, he thought he'd done fairly well when he had been with Reid. ~_If only I had been with him. If only they hadn't split up. They should have never split up! They should have stayed together. They should have had each other's backs, just like JJ said.~_

Morgan took a sip of the coffee and continued to look out into the darkness.

"Where are you, Reid?" he asked softly, knowing he wouldn't receive an answer. It wasn't that easy. Still, he didn't plan on stopping until he found Reid. Until they brought the kid home safely, just like they had in Alabama.

Taking another sip of coffee, Morgan turned and headed back into the house. He wasn't getting anything accomplished standing out here on the porch.

* * *

With a groan, Morgan awoke from his light slumber. Not sure what had awoken him, he sat up straighter in the chair he'd commandeered earlier. Looking toward his friend in the hospital bed, he saw that Reid was still asleep. The younger man looked deathly pale in the muted light from the lamp on the bedside table. The lamp that Reid had insisted be left on.

Deathly pale. Those words stuck with Morgan as he remembered seeing Reid lying motionless on the floor of the shack on the computer screen. He had been powerless to do anything. Then he had watched Tobias trying to breathe life back into his friend, hoping that it would work. _Needing_ it to work.

Feeling an icy grip of fear, Morgan reached out a hand, subconsciously looking for a pulse even as he watched for the slight rise and fall of Reid's chest.

"He's fine," Morgan heard Hotch say. "I checked myself a couple of minutes ago."

Morgan looked in the direction of his superior's voice to find the older agent sitting in the chair across the bed from him. Hotch was leaning forward, elbows on his legs, hands clasped together with his chin resting on them.

Morgan felt a bit silly at getting caught like that, though Hotch's admission did help some. At least he wasn't the only one being hyper vigilant. It wasn't just limited to him and Hotch either. No one on the team had wanted to leave the hospital, not even after the doctor had told them that physically Reid would make a full recovery.

Converging on his room, they found Reid already asleep, the head wound cleaned and bandaged, and an IV inserted in his right hand. Due to the drugs already in the young agent's system, the doctor hadn't given Reid any pain medication and was trying to hold off on administering even a mild sedative. He had left instructions for him to be alerted should his patient become overly agitated.

Luckily, the hospital staff ignoring the 'two visitors at a time' rule since they didn't want to have to inform the agents they were breaking protocol; they also didn't want to deal with the possible hassle incurred from such a statement. After the hell they had all been through the last few days, the team hadn't wanted to let Reid out of their sight. It had taken Hotch ordering the rest of them to check into a hotel and get some rest to get them to leave. Hotch had even tried to get Morgan to leave. However, unlike JJ, who had been falling asleep sitting by Reid's bedside, and therefore allowing Gideon to lead the blonde media liaison out of the room, Morgan had refused. The dark-skinned agent knew he couldn't leave his friend's side, just like he knew that if he had allowed himself to give into the urge to hug his friend out in the cemetery he wouldn't have been able to let go.

It had been like Alabama all over again: watching Reid first hug Hotch and then JJ, he had remembered the younger agent embracing him when he and Hudson had found him. Morgan had felt relief that they had found him and guilt that it hadn't been sooner. That he hadn't been able to protect his younger teammate. He had heard Reid tell JJ that it wasn't her fault and knew how important those words would be to his blonde teammate, even though she wouldn't be able to forgive herself quite so easily. Morgan knew that from experience and had seen it in the media liaison's eyes as she had silently asked him for forgiveness too. He had silently given her that answer with the nod of his head. They were going to need one another to heal from this.

As Reid started to get restless, Morgan let his gaze drift from Hotch to Reid. A look of panic had come over Reid's face as he tossed his head restlessly and murmured words that neither agent could understand. Though both agents reached down to take the hand closest to them, Morgan being careful of the IV, they made no attempt to try to wake the younger man. The restless spell passed in a few minutes, though neither Morgan nor Hotch let go of the hand they were holding.

Eventually, Morgan looked up, his eyes falling on his superior across the bed from him. Hotch had his left hand through the rail, holding Reid's hand while his right elbow was resting on the top rung of the railing, with his forehead resting in his hand. Though his hand shielded his eyes, the slight shake of his superior's shoulders told Morgan that the man was crying.

"Hotch, this wasn't your fault. Hell, we found him because you figured out the clues he gave to us."

Hotch straightened up, quickly wiping tears away. "I know. It's just when I think of how close I was to having to tell his mother . . ."

"You don't have to. You heard the doctor. He's going to fine."

"Physically, but what about emotionally? Will he ever be able to move past this?"

"He will, eventually, with our help. Besides, we're all going to have some healing to do from this one."

"That's for sure."

"Maybe you should head to the hotel the team is at, and get some rest. You haven't had much sleep the last couple of days."

"Neither have you."

"I'm fine."

"Why do I always wake up to the two of you having that particular argument?"

Morgan and Hotch glanced down at the sound of Reid's sleepy voice. The younger agent had his eyes half-open.

"Hey, Kid. Sorry we woke you."

"It's okay; it wasn't restful anyway."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Morgan asked, assuming Reid was referring to whatever it was that was haunting his sleep.

Reid started to shake his head, and then thought better of it as he winced even from that small movement. "Not right now. Do either of you think it's cold in here?"

"No, but then I think those hot Nevada days have you spoiled," Morgan replied, even as Hotch reached for one of the two extra blankets the nurse had dropped off in case either of them wanted one.

Unfolding it, Hotch covered Reid with the extra blanket, pulling it up over his shoulders.

"You guys should go get some sleep. You both look like hell."

"Should I get you a mirror?" Morgan asked, letting a small smile come to his face.

"Do you want us to leave?" Hotch asked.

Morgan felt Reid grasp his hand tighter as he answered. "Not really."

"Then neither of us is going anywhere," Hotch replied, resting his hand on Reid's shoulder.

"Thanks," Reid murmured, before closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him once more.

_**A week later . . . **_

Morgan swung the mallet a little harder than was actually necessary, sending it crashing through the drywall. The sound echoed through the empty house he was renovating. The physical activity kept him from thinking about things that he didn't want to be dwelling on right now.

The team had been on stand-down since returning from Georgia. Other than finishing paperwork related to the case and attending stress debriefings, the team, with the exception of Garcia, had not been in the office. Morgan was hoping the stand down would be lifted soon. Though he had gotten a lot of work done on his properties with the extra time, he wanted to be back on the job and back with the team. He needed to work. Only then could he feel a sense of normalcy and move past what had happened in Georgia.

He heard his cell phone ring in mid-swing. After pulling the head of the mallet from the wall he was knocking down, he leaned it up against a still solid portion of the wall and took the phone from its clip. Glancing at the screen, he saw that it was JJ calling.

"Yeah, JJ. What's up?"

"Hi, Morgan. Reid isn't with you is he?" JJ asked, worry evident in her voice.

"No," Morgan replied. "He turned down my offer to stay at my place for a few days," he told her. ~_Just like he's turned down everyone else's offer_,~ he added silently. "I did talk to him for a bit last night."

Following Reid's release from the Georgia hospital, until which point Morgan and Gideon had remained behind while the rest of the team came back to Quantico, none of them had felt Reid should be by himself. However, he had refused every offer made to him. When he had dropped him off at his apartment, Morgan had even offered to crash on the couch for a few days, to which Reid had threatened to call the police on him if he didn't leave voluntarily. Not wanting to deal with the headache that whole situation would cause, Morgan had left.

"What time?"

"Around seven I think. Why?"

"I can't get a hold of him today. He's not answering his cell or his house phone. I've gone over to his apartment, and either he isn't there or he's ignoring the door as well. I even had Penelope attempt to trace his cell phone today and apparently he's turned it off."

~_Apparently Reid figured you would try to trace it,_~ Morgan thought silently. He knew voicing that sentiment would not be received well by the team's media liaison. "JJ, he's probably fine and just wants some time alone. We've all been hovering quite a bit this last week."

"Morgan, we almost lost him! If Hankel hadn't . . . I just need to know he's okay."

Morgan sighed. "I know a place where he might be. I'll check it out and let you know," he wasn't about to give away the place he knew Reid went to after every case. The only reason he knew about it was because he had inadvertently run into the younger man there one day.

"Okay," JJ said, sounding as if she wanted to question him further even though she didn't.

Morgan ended the call with JJ and returned the phone to its clip. After taking a few minutes to clean up a bit, he headed out to the fenced-in back yard, leash in hand. As there was a safe place for Clooney to run, Morgan had brought the dog with him instead of leaving him at home. As soon as he stepped out the back door, the German Shepherd came bounding toward his owner.

"Hey Clooney, it's time to go," Morgan told the dog, scratching behind its ear with one hand while he deftly clipped the leash to the collar with his other hand.

With Clooney on the leash by his side, Morgan headed back into the house. He locked the back door behind him, and then headed through the house. It wasn't long before he was pulling the front door shut behind him, and making his way to his SUV. As he opened the back door of the vehicle, the German Shepherd hopped up and quickly settled himself on the back seat. Morgan pushed the door shut and reached for his cell phone with his free hand. JJ had already admitted to trying to track Reid by his cell phone, and Morgan decided not to take any chances.

Climbing behind the wheel, Morgan backed the SUV out of the driveway and headed for his destination. Twenty minutes later, the dark-skinned agent was pulling the car to a stop outside of a cemetery. In the back seat, Clooney expectantly got to his feet.

"Sorry, pal. You're staying here," Morgan told the dog, reaching for the door handle. The Shepherd still hadn't warmed to Reid after all these years. The few times that Reid had actually come over to his house, Clooney had barked at him as soon as the young genius had walked through the door. After being scolded by his owner, the German Shepherd would go lay down somewhere, a soft growl issuing from him at regular intervals. If Reid was here, Morgan didn't want to have to worry about how his friend and Clooney got along.

Morgan climbed from the car, and headed for the gates of the cemetery. As he walked, the federal agent zipped up the leather jacket he was wearing, blocking out the February chill. It didn't take him long to reach the area of the cemetery he was heading for, and as he approached, he saw the familiar lanky form of his friend standing at the grave.

Reid was wearing his long winter coat, with a purple scarf wrapped around his neck. A winter hat covered his head, and he had his hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat. He was staring down at the headstone of the grave he was standing near and didn't glance away as Morgan stepped up beside him.

"I thought I would find you here," Morgan said quietly, looking down at the headstone himself. He noticed there were three fresh yellow roses lying at the base of the headstone. He knew Reid had placed them there, as he always did when visiting the grave after a case.

"JJ sent you looking for me, didn't she?" Reid asked, still not looking toward him.

"Yeah. She's just worried about you. We all are."

"I'm fine. I just needed some time alone."

"I can understand that, and now that I can honestly tell JJ that you're fine, I'll leave you be. Just promise me that you'll call her later."

Reid nodded in response to the request.

Morgan turned to leave. He had only taken two steps when Reid's voice stopped him.

"Why did he do it? He might still be here if he hadn't tried to protect me."

Morgan turned back to find Reid now looking in his direction. Despite admitting to him that he came here after every case when Morgan had come upon him during a visit himself almost a year ago, this was the first time Reid had said anything to him about their friend's death, though Morgan knew the younger agent had discussed it with both Nichols and Hotch.

"Hudson did exactly what we're trained to do; he looked out for his partner. He would have done it for any of us," Morgan told him. He could see the questions clearly in the younger man's expression. Questions that mirrored the same ones he had asked himself many times over. Questions that stemmed from being one of the survivors when others you were with, or could have been with, didn't make it.

SSA Fred Hudson had been one of the six agents killed in the Boston warehouse when Bale had set off his final bomb. Hudson, Reid, and Hotch had gone in with SWAT after Bale had given himself up. The three profilers had been behind the SWAT team members. When a SWAT team agent had discovered the device and realized it was armed, he had shouted out a warning. The agents inside the warehouse didn't have much time for any sort of reaction, when the bomb had detonated moments later. In that short time though, Hotch had managed to take cover behind some crates and Hudson had managed to tackle Reid, protecting the younger agent from the debris that the bomb had sent flying. The action had saved Reid, who had only suffered from smoke inhalation and shock. But, despite Gideon's attempts at CPR, Hudson had not survived. With the EMTs pronouncing him during triage when they had arrived on the scene, Hudson had joined the casualty list along with the other five agents who had died that day, members of the SWAT team from the Boston field office.

"I've asked myself plenty of times why it wasn't me that day, and I can never come up with an answer," Reid commented, still looking in Morgan's direction.

"You and me both, Kid. Hudson very easily could have been on that custodial I was doing instead of going to Boston with you all that day. Gideon told us to decide between the two of us who was going to do it. We flipped a coin."

"The two of you were always deciding things with a coin," Reid commented, smiling despite the somber tone of the conversation.

"It seemed like a fair way to do it at the time," Morgan said with a shrug. "Still, when I think about it, it feels like I cheated death with the toss of a coin. It very well could have been me in Hudson's place."

"I'm glad it wasn't," Reid said quietly, his voice breaking. "I know that sounds terrible but . . ."

Reid's voice trailed off as the tears came. Morgan quickly closed the distance between the two of them, and despite the fact that neither of them cared much for physical contact, pulled the younger man into a hug. Something he had wanted to do in Georgia, but had been afraid of the tears that had been building up in his eyes, actually falling. Afraid then, that if he had hugged Reid he wouldn't have been able to let go.

"It's okay, Reid. Hudson would understand," Morgan told him, genuinely believing the words himself.

Though Hudson had accepted Reid professionally, and had spent time with him outside of the job when other members of the team were present, the two had never developed a close friendship. Not like he and Reid had. And now, Morgan felt that though he had spent a lot of time with Hudson in the two plus years that they had worked together, he was closer to Reid than he and Hudson had ever been.

Morgan felt Reid start to pull away, and released his hold on the younger man.

"I'm sorry," Reid said, reaching up to wipe away the last traces of the tears.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Kid," Morgan told him softly.

Reid turned and looked back down at the headstone. "I try everyday to do my best to honor the gift he gave me. To do the best I can on every case to prove that his sacrifice wasn't in vain."

"You've done that. You've more than done that and Hudson would be proud of you, Reid," Morgan said, reaching out to rest a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I'll second that," another familiar voice said. Reid and Morgan looked in the direction of the voice to see Agent Chad Nichols, head of the Cyber Division since July of 2004 when his predecessor had retired. "Heard you've had a rough time of it recently, Junior," he added, not hesitating to pull Reid into a quick hug. "Are you not returning phone calls, or just not ones from me?"

"Sorry," Reid said, as he pulled away. "I was going to call you back eventually."

"It's okay, I bet Morgan and the rest of your team hasn't wanted to let you out of their sight for a moment this past week," Nichols said. Reid ducked his head without making a reply. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I figured if I kept checking back here, I'd eventually catch up to you. Or failing that I was going to stop by the BAU when you finally returned to work."

"How did you know I'd come here?"

"I used to be a profiler too, Junior," Nichols replied. Reid face flushed at the comment. "Still doesn't take much to get you to turn red, does it," Nichols commented. "Do either of you have dinner plans tonight?"

Reid shook his head in reply.

"Haven't had plans for doing much of anything the last few days. I'll be glad when our team stand down gets lifted and things can start going back to normal."

"Then you'll be happy to know your team is back on active duty starting tomorrow," Nichols told him.

"How do you know?" Morgan asked, looking at Nichols quizzically.

"Didn't you ever learn anything about me during the time we worked together, Grasshopper? I've got my ways. I suspect you'll be getting your notifications sometime this afternoon."

"That's one text message I'll be looking forward to getting, then," Morgan remarked.

"So, dinner at my place to celebrate then?" Nichols said.

"Sure. Beats throwing a TV dinner in the microwave."

"Gee, I know what the next gift I buy you is going to be - cooking lessons."

"You may want to talk to my sisters before you go through with that," Morgan warned him.

"I didn't say I was going to give them to you - I'll let someone else have the pleasure. I'm just going to pay for them because I've already read about your encounter with the Chicago fire company. It's no wonder you joined the police force because the fire company probably thought you'd set more fires than you would put out."

Reid raised his eyebrows as he looked at Morgan, wondering what was being referred too.

"You know, sometimes I don't know who is worse - you or Garcia," Morgan commented.

Nichols grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment. I thought Penelope would be able to make herself comfortable with you guys, and I knew without me around you all would need someone to lighten things up around there. That's why I suggested she apply for the position when I took the promotion."

"Well, she certainly does keep the mood lighter," Morgan said. "How did you ever meet her?"

"Sorry, confidential."

"Yeah, kind of like statuses of BAU teams or academy graduates' assignments the day before graduation."

"Learn to hack," Nichols said, with a shrug. He turned his gaze to Reid. "So, Junior, you coming?"

"Like I've got a choice?" Reid replied. "You've never once accepted the answer no from me, though I doubt I'll be very good company."

"We'll deal with it," Nichols said lightly, getting a small smile out of the younger man. "You'll be there?"

Reid nodded.

"Good. I've got a few errands to run."

"Errands?"

"Hazard of being a single father. I took a couple of days off to catch up on things that keep getting put off and to go on the field trip with Evan's class tomorrow. One of the perks of the promotion," Nichols answered. He directed his gaze to Reid. "If you want to talk, call me. As always, my door is always open to you, Junior," he said.

Reid nodded but didn't say anything.

"You want a ride anywhere?" Morgan asked.

Reid shook his head. "I think I want to hang around here a little longer."

Morgan nodded. "I understand, Kid. What about tonight? Want a ride over to Nichols' place?" Reid simply nodded again. "I'll pick you up at five-thirty then."

With that said, Nichols and Morgan started walking back toward the entrance of the cemetery, making small talk.

"So how's Tara doing at Cal Tech?" Morgan asked.

Tara Nichols was in her freshman year at the prestigious college. Though her grades had always been good, and she had graduated fifth in her class, no one had any doubt that the letter of recommendation from Reid to his old college had benefitted her.

"She's loving it. Tara's also decided on her major already - Chemical Engineering. I couldn't believe it when she told me. She hated anything to do with science before she met Reid. Talking to my daughter is going to be like hanging out with Junior. I'm going to have no idea what she's talking about half the time."

"The same can be said about you at times you know," Morgan told him knowingly.

"You mean when I start speaking what you so affectionately refer to as geek-speak?" Nichols asked.

"Right in one."

"You should come out to lunch with me and Penelope sometime," Nichols joked.

"No thanks. One of you computer nerds at a time is about all I can handle. For all I know you'll be plotting to ruin my credit history right in front of me and I'd have no idea."

Nichols grinned at the comment. As they reached Morgan's SUV though, the older man's expression grew serious. "Keep a close eye on him, Morgan."

"Reid?" Morgan asked, not really needing the confirmation. "Why?"

"Something isn't right with him."

"You're saying that after talking to him for about ten minutes," Morgan said, feeling a bit confused. "How can you be so sure?"

"It's just a feeling I've got."

Morgan felt an eerie feeling coming over him. He remembered something Hudson had told him right before the team had left for Boston. "Hudson said you had told him you had a bad feeling about the case in Boston, before the team had left on the case."

Nichols nodded. "You saw how that turned out," he said. "Look, Morgan, maybe I'm wrong, and I hope I am, but in case I'm not, promise me you'll keep a close eye on him. I'm not exactly in the position to do that anymore."

"I will, man."

"Good. I'll see you tonight then," Nichols said, giving Morgan a quick wave good-bye and heading for his own vehicle.

Morgan unlocked his SUV and climbed in behind the wheel. As he gave Clooney a quick gretting and settled the dog down, he thought of his conversation with Reid back in that Alabama hospital room.

"_You can't protect me from everything."_

"_I certainly plan on trying."_

~_Can I protect him from whatever it is that is giving Nichols his bad feeling?_~ Morgan thought as he turned the key, starting up the SUV. He had a feeling that despite having stopped Hankle from killing anyone else, the disturbed man was not done influencing their lives. Morgan put the car in drive, and pulled away from the curb, wondering if the nightmare that had started in Georgia was really behind them.

* * *

AN: I'm kind of sad this story is ending. Would love to hear final thoughts about it. Anyone interested in another story with Hudson and Nichols?


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